Many residents in Hueytown, Alabama, were shocked on Saturday, September 5, as a sunny day suddenly turned into a bout of severe weather. Pelting rain and straight-line winds hit the town around 2:00 p.m. as a band of stormy weather moved across Central Alabama. Although there was some speculation that a small tornado may have hit the town, an expert with the National Weather Service says that there was no rotation noted in the storm. At this point, the storm that hit Hueytown is being called a small microburst. AL.com reported that garage doors were severely damaged at a local auto shop, and downed trees and power lines affected several homes and business throughout town. Thankfully, although the property damage is still being assessed, there were no injuries reported in the storm.
Many residents, however, might not be pointing to their roof damage or broken windows when they talk about their most difficult losses in the storm. For a lot of football fans in Hueytown, whether they root for Alabama or Auburn, the severe weather and power outages meant missing the opening of football season and the big games on Saturday. While everyone is thankful that no one was hurt, it was hard for some fans to miss such an anticipated day of television.
“Minor Damages” Can Still Be a Major Headache
Although the damages in the Hueytown storm may be considered “minor” in comparison to the losses from major hurricanes or tornados, even a small microburst or a few minutes of high winds can cause surprising amounts of damage. Home and business owners who have to repair garages crushed by falling trees or roofing stripped by high winds often face a costly recovery. Although the majority of property owners have insurance coverage and submit claims for their losses, the truth is that they aren’t always getting the results they need from the policies they carry—and it’s often because they don’t understand their rights or how the insurance industry works. Policyholders who run into trouble with their insurance claims or feel like they’re getting “the runaround” need to do their research before they accept less than their claims are worth.
For more information about your rights as a policyholder, ask for a free copy of our book, Top 10 Mistakes You Cannot Afford to Make When Filing Your Insurance Claim. Or, if you need immediate assistance with an unfairly-denied or unpaid claim, don’t hesitate to reach out to our experienced legal team at 1-888-614-7730.
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