Think your insurance covers everything when Texas freezes? Think again. Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546 and find out what you’re really covered for.
February 2021. Ring any bells?
Probably does if you live around here. Pipes burst. Cars abandoned on highways. No power for days. Insurance companies got swamped with claims they’d never seen before.
The crazy part? Nobody saw it coming. Tuesday it was 78 degrees. Friday morning, everything was frozen solid.
That’s how winter works in Texas. Doesn’t happen often, but when it does – wow.
We’ve been selling insurance in Plano since before your grandparents were born. Every major freeze, same story. People think they’re covered for stuff they’re not. Or they mess up simple things that turn covered claims into denied ones.
Let’s fix that before the next cold snap hits.
Why Texas Houses Hate Cold Weather
Your house was built for 100-degree summers, not 10-degree winters. Makes perfect sense when you think about it. Why spend extra money protecting against something that happens maybe once every five years?
Except when it does happen, it gets expensive fast.
Here’s the problem. Your water pipes probably run through your attic. Or maybe your garage. Places that get just as cold as outside when the temperature drops.
Your neighbor’s house? Same thing. The guy down the street? His too.
Whole neighborhoods get hit at once. Plumbers can’t keep up. Hardware stores run out of supplies. And everybody’s calling their insurance company at the same time.
The good news? Most freeze damage is totally preventable. We’re talking maybe $50 in supplies and an hour of work. The bad news? Most people don’t do it until it’s too late.
What Your Insurance Covers When It Freezes
Pipes That Burst
If your pipes freeze and break, the water damage usually gets covered. Floors, walls, furniture – all that stuff water ruins. Your insurance company writes a check.
But here’s the catch. You have to show you tried to prevent it.
That means keeping your heat on when you’re not home. It means dripping faucets when the weather forecast shows freezing. Basic common sense stuff.
What doesn’t work? Turning your heat off to save money when you go out of town. Ignoring weather warnings. Stuff like that.
Your insurance company calls it “reasonable care.” We call it not being dumb about it.
Ice Damage to Your Roof
Heavy ice can wreck gutters, damage shingles, all sorts of problems. This stuff typically gets covered as long as your roof was in decent shape to begin with.
Key word there – decent shape. If your gutters were already falling off and ice just finished the job, that’s on you.
When Your Car Gets Hit by Ice
Tree branch covered in ice falls on your car? That’s comprehensive coverage. You need comprehensive on your policy for this to work.
Ice makes you slide into a ditch? That’s collision coverage. Different type of coverage, same idea – you need it for the claim to work.
Food That Spoils
Some policies pay for groceries that go bad when you lose power. Usually not much – maybe $500. And you need receipts.
Don’t expect them to replace everything in your fridge. But if your policy has it, file the claim anyway.
What Doesn’t Get Covered
Thawing Frozen Pipes
Pipes freeze but don’t break? You pay to get them thawed. Plumber bills, equipment rental, whatever it takes.
This is why prevention matters so much. Lot cheaper to keep pipes from freezing than to pay someone to unfreeze them.
Your Heater Breaks
Furnace quits working during a cold snap? That’s maintenance, not weather damage. You pay to fix it.
But if your broken heater causes pipes to freeze and burst, that secondary damage might get covered.
Stuff That Was Already Broken
Insurance doesn’t fix things that were already messed up. If your roof was leaking before the ice storm, they’re not paying to fix the whole roof now.
Keep up with maintenance. It protects your house and your coverage.
How to Keep Your Pipes from Freezing
Leave Your Heat On
Sounds obvious, right? But people make this mistake all the time.
Going out of town? Leave your thermostat at 55 degrees minimum. Yeah, it costs money. But not as much as water damage.
Most insurance deductibles are $1,000 or more. Plus all the hassle of dealing with contractors and living in a torn-up house.
Know Where Your Water Shut-Off Is
When pipes burst, every second counts. Faster you shut off the water, less damage you get.
Find your main water valve right now. Make sure everybody in your family knows where it is. Practice turning it off.
Can’t find it? Can’t turn it? Call a plumber and get it fixed. Money well spent.
Drip Your Faucets
Moving water doesn’t freeze as easily. When the forecast shows freezing weather, drip your faucets overnight.
Not a big stream. Just a steady drip. Focus on faucets against outside walls.
Wastes a little water, sure. But way cheaper than burst pipes.
Wrap Exposed Pipes
Pipes in garages, attics, crawl spaces – anywhere it gets cold. You can buy pipe insulation at Home Depot for maybe $20.
Takes about an hour to install. Could save you thousands.
Disconnect Your Garden Hose
Hoses left connected can freeze the whole water line. Disconnect them. Store them for winter.
If you can find the shut-off valve for outside water, turn that off too.
Open Cabinet Doors
During freezes, open up cabinets under sinks. Lets warm air get to the pipes.
Especially important for sinks on outside walls.
Protecting Your Car from Winter Weather
Make Sure You Have the Right Coverage
Liability insurance doesn’t cover weather damage to your car. You need comprehensive coverage for ice damage. Collision coverage for weather accidents.
Check your policy. Don’t assume you have coverage you don’t actually have.
Keep Your Tires in Good Shape
Bald tires on ice are dangerous. They also might affect whether your insurance claim gets approved.
You don’t need snow tires in Texas. But you need tires that aren’t worn out.
Don’t Drive If You Don’t Have To
Best winter driving advice? Stay home when it’s icy.
Texas roads don’t get treated for ice. We don’t have snow plows. When it’s slick, it’s really slick.
Your insurance covers accidents, but why risk it?
Keep Your Gas Tank Full
Empty tanks can freeze. Keep tanks at least half full during winter weather.
Also helps if you get stuck somewhere and need to run the engine for heat.
What to Do When Damage Happens
Burst Pipes – Act Fast
- Shut off water immediately
- Take pictures before you clean anything up
- Get standing water out if it’s safe
- Call your insurance company right away
- Save receipts for emergency repairs
Don’t wait to file the claim. Most companies want to hear from you within a day or two.
Car Accidents in Weather
- Check for injuries first
- Call police if anyone’s hurt or there’s big damage
- Take pictures of everything – cars, road conditions, ice
- Get the other driver’s insurance info
- Call your insurance company from the scene if you can
Don’t say the accident was your fault, even if you think it was. Let the insurance companies figure that out.
Take Lots of Pictures
Way more pictures than you think you need. Insurance adjusters weren’t there. Pictures help them understand what happened.
For burst pipes, photograph the broken pipe, all the water damage, anything that got ruined.
For car accidents, photograph car damage, road conditions, street signs, anything that shows what happened.
Mistakes People Make with Winter Weather Claims
Waiting Too Long to Call
Some folks wait to see how bad the damage is before calling insurance. Don’t do this.
Call right away, even if you’re not sure how much damage there is. You can always cancel a claim if it turns out to be nothing.
Not Taking Pictures
Insurance companies want to see what happened. Take pictures of everything before you start cleaning up.
Once you throw stuff away or start repairs, it’s hard to prove what the damage looked like.
Doing Big Repairs Without Permission
You can do emergency stuff to stop more damage from happening. But keep receipts and take pictures first.
Big repairs usually need insurance company approval. Do major work without asking, and they might not pay for it.
Assuming Everything’s Covered
Don’t assume. Ask your agent what’s covered and what’s not. Some policies have weird exclusions or special deductibles for weather claims.
Know what you have before you need it.
How We Handle Winter Weather at Schell Insurance
Look, we’ve been doing this since 1930. We’ve seen every kind of freeze damage you can imagine.
When winter weather hits, we’re ready. Phones get answered. Agents are available. We know which adjusters to call and how to get claims moving.
But the real value is what we do before winter weather hits.
We’ll review your coverage and explain what’s covered and what’s not. We’ll tell you about deductibles and claim procedures. We’ll help you understand your policy in plain English.
When you call with a claim, you’re talking to people who know you. Not some random person in a call center reading from a script.
Getting Ready for North Texas Winter
Power Problems
Texas power grids struggle when it gets really cold. Long power outages create problems beyond just frozen pipes.
Some insurance policies cover hotel bills if your house becomes unlivable. But there are limits and requirements you need to know about.
Trees and Ice
Ice storms bring down tree branches and sometimes whole trees. If a tree hits your house, that’s usually covered.
Tree falls in your yard but doesn’t hit anything? Usually not covered unless it’s blocking your driveway.
Trim your trees before winter. Prevents problems and saves money.
Pool Equipment
Pool pumps and filters can freeze and break. This equipment is usually covered, but you need to protect it.
Run pool equipment during freezes even if it costs extra electricity. Cheaper than replacing everything.
Planning Ahead
Fall Preparation
Start thinking about winter in September. Check your insurance coverage. Make sure you understand your deductibles.
Good time for maintenance too. Insulate pipes, check your heating system, all that stuff.
Winter Weather Supplies
Have what you need before you need it. Pipe insulation, space heaters, emergency food and water.
When the weather hits, stores sell out fast.
During Freeze Warnings
When the forecast shows freezing weather, take action right away. Drip faucets. Protect plants. Move cars under cover if you can.
Don’t wait and see how cold it actually gets. By then it’s too late.
Check Your Coverage Now
Home Insurance Questions
- Do you have enough coverage to rebuild if ice damages your roof?
- What’s your deductible for weather claims?
- Do you have coverage for temporary living expenses?
- Are there any weird exclusions in your policy?
Car Insurance Questions
- Do you have comprehensive coverage for ice damage?
- Do you have collision coverage for weather accidents?
- What are your deductibles?
- Do you have rental car coverage?
Talk to Your Agent
Don’t wait until you have a claim to understand your coverage. Call now and ask questions.
If your agent can’t explain things clearly, maybe you need a different agent.
Time to get serious about your winter weather coverage? Call Schell Insurance at (972) 423-4546. We’ll go through your policies and make sure you understand what you have. As the oldest insurance agency in Plano, we know how Texas winter weather works. And we know how to protect you from it. Call today – before the next freeze hits.