Pennsylvania Car Dealership Suffered Massive Damage From Tornado
Alex Healey
· 3 min read
Five people were hurt when a tornado destroyed a car dealership in Bucks County, Pennsylvania last month. In insurance terms this is known as an
act of God
.Described by the National Weather Service as "life threatening," the tornado was the second to hit the same area within a terrifying 10 minute period.
Inside the dealership, employees and customers hid under tables and inside cars. Miraculously, nobody was killed, despite the building collapsing around them.
Read on to learn more about the event, and discover how
Jerry
can find you the cheapest Pennsylvania car insurance
. 
What happened when the tornado hit?
When two tornadoes hit Bensalem, PA, within the space of just a few minutes last month, locals watched in horror as strong winds left a path of destruction.
Worst affected was the Faulkner Buick GMC Dealership near Trevose, which was completely demolished by the second tornado just after 7 p.m.
Several employees and customers were still inside when the tornado hit, and they have been describing what happened.
As reported by
Complex.com
, employee Anthony Perez received a tornado alert on his phone just a few seconds before impact. Fortunately, Perez, his fellow workers and a few customers had time to shelter in a vehicle before the strong winds tore through the showroom.Customer Joanne Szupka also received an alert on her phone and hid underneath a desk: "I heard the alarm on my phone and it was seconds later that we felt something happening to the building."
Injuries resulting from the tornado
Shortly after the tornado had razed the dealership to the ground, Bill Rollin, director of emergency alerts for Bucks, Montgomery and Delaware Counties, called it a "mass casualty incident."
Newsweek
explains this term is used to describe events that cause between three and 20 injuries.Fortunately, none of the five reported injuries were life-threatening, despite the terrifying ordeal lasting for 90 seconds.
Does home insurance cover tornado damage?
Hopefully the owner of the dealership had a robust commercial insurance policy, covering property damage and loss of earnings for himself and his employees, as well as liability insurance for the medical bills of those who needed treatment.
For individuals whose homes are damaged by tornados there is some good news. Wind damage is covered by most home insurance policies. Similarly, if the tornado’s strong winds cause trees or other debris to crash into your home, your insurer should help pay for repairs.
Importantly, flood damage, which is often a consequence of tornadoes, is not included in standard homeowner insurance policies. Depending on where you live, you can probably buy a separate policy for this.
Does car insurance cover tornado damage?
If your car is damaged as a result of a tornado, you need
comprehensive insurance
to get financial help. Comprehensive insurance covers damage to your car following natural disasters like hurricanes, tornadoes, or flooding.If you live in an area prone to hurricanes or tornadoes you should also invest in
collision insurance
. Strong winds make driving very dangerous because you could be blown off course and into an object or other vehicle. Check out our guide on how to drive in high winds
for more information.While adding comprehensive and collision coverage to your existing policy might sound expensive, it really doesn’t have to be.
Compare quotes from up to 50 different insurance providers with
Jerry
. We show you their rates side by side, so you can quickly see which company is offering the best deal.
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