Property damage concerns rise Friday with strong winds in forecast

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — With the strong winds expected in New Mexico Friday, many people may be worried about damage to their home.

Josh Jackson, an insurance agent with 20-plus years of experience, explained to KOB 4 what people can do to try to prevent such incidents

“Being proactive with any type of weather is a really important thing to do,” said Jackson, the founder of Jackson Insurance Solutions in Albuquerque.

He said the kind of wind in the forecast is the type of weather that can lead to a ton of insurance claims.

Jackson said to beware of older trees, especially ones that haven’t been trimmed in a while and those close to buildings, and for anything that the wind could blow around a yard, consider tying it down or moving it inside. That could include patio furniture, potted plants and garbage bins.

“I personally have seen trampolines rolling down the street, and that’s not something that you’d want,” he said.

Jackson said sometimes people don’t know their home was damaged until months or even years later.

“The initial claim for the wind damage to the property would be something that the insurance company would cover but if it’s just an ongoing leak, then sometimes it’s a maintenance issue,” Jackson said, explaining that an insurance company might not cover it at that point.

He said it’s a good idea to inspect areas like roofs before and after strong wind.