Tornado Protection Question
Tech Contributor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,576
Likes: 118
From: Conroe Texas
I'm in Tornado and Hurricane alley.
All I can do is keep things properly insured and remember that "it's just stuff".
When I evacuated for Hurricane Rita (a Category 5 headed straight for my house at the time I left) I believed my property would be wiped down to the foundation. I photographed everything, and then evacuated with my dogs, some clothes, a CD of all my photographs for insurance, and all my important papers.
All I can do is keep things properly insured and remember that "it's just stuff".
When I evacuated for Hurricane Rita (a Category 5 headed straight for my house at the time I left) I believed my property would be wiped down to the foundation. I photographed everything, and then evacuated with my dogs, some clothes, a CD of all my photographs for insurance, and all my important papers.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,926
From: Washington Michigan
I haven't been through one in almost 50 years, but the safest place is in the basement. We've had ten homes in the last 35 years, all of which had full basements (which is the norm in Michigan); would be a lot scarier not to have a basement when the sirens go off... 
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
Likes: 1,874
From: Greenville, Indiana
Do I worry about it? No, but I don't want to be caught in an unprotected area if a direct hit came my direction. There's little alse except fire that will destroy everything so completely.
I'd be more concerned where you are about the whole state sliding into the ocean.
Why do you ask, may I ask?
Last edited by MikeM; Apr 10, 2011 at 12:18 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,300
Likes: 0
From: Iowa
I'm in tornado alley. One hit 3 blocks from my house a couple years ago. Put a car on top of the house it was in front of. We are in a flat, high water table area. No one in our immediate area has a basement. My shop is the unofficial neighborhood storm shelter. It's built stronger than the houses in the neighborhood. I designed and built it with this in mind but it is still above ground and vulnerable. All we can do is hope for the best, and have good insurance.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 2,114
Likes: 32
From: Columbia, SC
I just keep them in the garage and keep the insurance paid up. If they're in the garage I believe homeowners would pick up the tab if necessary.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 38,897
Likes: 1,926
From: Washington Michigan
Nope - your homeowners policy won't pay a dime for a car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 9,151
Likes: 481
From: "You may all go to Hell- and I will go to Texas- Davy Crockett
St. Jude Donor '12
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 10,347
Likes: 672
From: Beverly Hills (Pine Ridge) Florida
That is correct (homeowners policy does not cover vehicles).
We had a garage fire that wiped out 2 cars that did not have auto insurance (one a was a altered roadster drag car, and the other was a XKE Jag being restored). Neither car (and the individual restoration and drag car parts) were covered by the home policy.........
The Allstate insurance policy did cover everything else (building and contents), and we were pleased with the settlement.
Plasticman
We had a garage fire that wiped out 2 cars that did not have auto insurance (one a was a altered roadster drag car, and the other was a XKE Jag being restored). Neither car (and the individual restoration and drag car parts) were covered by the home policy.........
The Allstate insurance policy did cover everything else (building and contents), and we were pleased with the settlement.
Plasticman
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 9,151
Likes: 481
From: "You may all go to Hell- and I will go to Texas- Davy Crockett
St. Jude Donor '12
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,317
Likes: 292
From: Ocala FL
You can't live in fear. If you do, move.
I don't live in any of the tornado areas now, but I did a long time ago. We had the framework up on the garage, the corners closed in, and the roof only over one bay. My '68 was sitting in the open area up on jacks with no front suspension under it when we went under a tornado warning. Sky turned green and hail came pounding, so I ran out and covered it with a couple of layers of old moving blankets to absorb the hail impact. If the tornado had hit, there really wasn't much I could do.
Now I live in Florida. If a hurricane comes, I ride it out like everyone else, unless it is headed straight for me. Then I pack the necessary important stuff in the car and leave.
I haven't left yet in 26 years, although I was about ready to twice.
I don't live in any of the tornado areas now, but I did a long time ago. We had the framework up on the garage, the corners closed in, and the roof only over one bay. My '68 was sitting in the open area up on jacks with no front suspension under it when we went under a tornado warning. Sky turned green and hail came pounding, so I ran out and covered it with a couple of layers of old moving blankets to absorb the hail impact. If the tornado had hit, there really wasn't much I could do.
Now I live in Florida. If a hurricane comes, I ride it out like everyone else, unless it is headed straight for me. Then I pack the necessary important stuff in the car and leave.
I haven't left yet in 26 years, although I was about ready to twice.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 307
Likes: 1
From: dallas texas
i was in lubbock may 5, 1970 when 3 funnel clouds tore through town about 9pm. the noise was incredible, like a freight train outside your window. we were having a "tornado party" as we had just finished finals at texas tech. we all jumped in the closet until it was over and needless to say we sobered up damn fast! one funnel cloud went down our street ( 5th street) and tore the hell out of most of the houses. even today some of the trees still show the scars. ah, those were the days!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,934
Likes: 657
From: Norwalk ohio
2019 Corvette of the Year Winner
St. Jude Donor '15
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 37,671
Likes: 1,115
From: CA
That last one is the "killer", the others only happen occasionally, minus "the radiation".
I was really asking, has anyone had a CAR damaged during a Tornado?
Last edited by 66jack; Apr 11, 2011 at 09:36 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 33,068
Likes: 6,617
From: Rochester NY
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '26
Seems every part of the country has SOMETHING to deal with. Flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, blizzards, hail. You deal with what you have, and convince yourself you're better off with what YOU have rather than what the other guy has.
Now taxes, bum politicians, etc....think we ALL can relate to that!
Mainedoc, hang in there. Just started driving mine within the last week or two. Spring WILL arrive sooner or later. Just watch for all the orange construction cones blossoming in the highway and you'll know it's right around the corner!
Now taxes, bum politicians, etc....think we ALL can relate to that!
Mainedoc, hang in there. Just started driving mine within the last week or two. Spring WILL arrive sooner or later. Just watch for all the orange construction cones blossoming in the highway and you'll know it's right around the corner!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 844
Likes: 5
From: Pasadena TX
Yep, we get the 1-2 punch down here. It's a good thing we only average a hurricane hit every 10 years or more but after you've been through a couple it sucks. Can't wait to retire and move to the Hill Country. My insurance company dodged a bullet on the last hurricane. Many of my neighbors had 20K+ of damage, I lost half a fence and 2 shingles, plus my lawn furniture ended up in Kentucky.
I'm in Tornado and Hurricane alley.
All I can do is keep things properly insured and remember that "it's just stuff".
When I evacuated for Hurricane Rita (a Category 5 headed straight for my house at the time I left) I believed my property would be wiped down to the foundation. I photographed everything, and then evacuated with my dogs, some clothes, a CD of all my photographs for insurance, and all my important papers.
All I can do is keep things properly insured and remember that "it's just stuff".
When I evacuated for Hurricane Rita (a Category 5 headed straight for my house at the time I left) I believed my property would be wiped down to the foundation. I photographed everything, and then evacuated with my dogs, some clothes, a CD of all my photographs for insurance, and all my important papers.