Many areas around central and northern New York are continuing to clean up after the remnants of Hurricane Beryl blew through the region Wednesday. Heavy rain, strong thunderstorms, and even several tornadoes pelted the region, knocking down trees and power lines, and washing out roads and bridges.
The National Weather Service offices in Buffalo, Binghamton, and Albany, which cover most of upstate New York, issued 42 tornado warnings Wednesday, a new record that had been in place since May of 1998. The weather service has confirmed at least seven tornadoes across upstate, including four in western New York, along with confirmed tornadoes in the town of Wolcott in Wayne County, the town of Redfield in Oswego County, and the town of Forestport in Oneida County.
The National Weather Service will conduct more storm surveys Friday in Seneca, Cayuga, and Onondaga counties to determine if tornadoes touched down in those areas as well.
With the storms passed, many people may now be reaching out to their insurance companies to cover damages associated with the storms.
“With a homeowners insurance policy, wind is a covered peril, basic peril, said Nick Showens, AAA insurance advisor. “Here in the Northeast, we don't really have very many exclusions to that. So typically under your basic dwelling coverage, your wind damage is going to be covered."
Showens said that includes tornadoes, even though they are relatively rare in this area.
“Tornadoes do account for about 40% of the large catastrophes nationwide right now,” Showens said. “So tornadoes are a big piece of it, but in our particular area, most claims and stuff that the insurance carriers are going to see is going to come from wind shear, thunderstorms, things like that.”
The same can’t be said for any water damage. Areas of the North Country and Adirondacks took the brunt of flooding caused by the severe storms. Showens said flooding or runoff water is not covered by homeowner’s policies. Homeowners need to have purchased a separate flood policy from an agent specifically licensed to sell flood insurance.
Showens said vehicles are usually covered against flooding under their comprehensive coverage. He advises homeowners to check their policy for specifics to be sure.
