LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — There are lots of different home insurance policies out there, and some cover more damage than others.
That's why Arkansas's Insurance Commissioner explained that you need to know what's in your policy before there are any surprises.
Former Mayor of Mayflower, Randy Holland, described the Mayflower-Vilonia tornado as "a bomb being thrown in the middle of the city."
He encourages everyone to stay up to date on what their insurance covers because you never know when a big storm like that will damage your home.
The deadly EF-4 tornado that killed 16 Arkansans struck his home and damaged the roof, but luckily, his insurance covered it.
"I'm sure glad that it was just a deductible. You need to have that covered," Holland said.
"Often when we hear from consumers, they've had a loss and something's not covered in there," Arkansas Insurance Commissioner, Alan McClain said.
Mcclain said that this kind of information is already in your policy now.
That's why he strongly recommends checking your coverage before it's too late.
"Also, it's very helpful ahead of time before for tornadoes or before some you know, severe weather to just take inventory of what you have in your home," McClain explained.
He also said that there's usually there's an uptick in people looking for answers months after a big storm hits.
"Policyholders, later on, might have some questions about how their claims have been resolved and maybe need some help interacting with their insurance companies, which we're always glad to help consumers any way we can," he said.
As for Holland, he explained that Mayflower learned a lot of lessons through the storm, including the importance of having good insurance, and a storm shelter.
"You need to have that prepared so you'd be ready for storm season," Holland said.
McClain added that most standard homeowners do not have flood insurance included, so depending on where you live that might be something you want to consider too.