July 23, 2026
CALLENDER BOWLIN ISSUES STORM PREPARATION AND INSURANCE CLAIM GUIDANCE AS TROPICAL STORM BERTHA APPROACHES THE TEXAS COAST
HOUSTON, TX — With Tropical Storm Bertha moving across the Gulf toward Southeast Texas, CB Trial (Callender Bowlin) is urging homeowners, property managers, and business owners to prepare now for flooding, heavy rain, and high wind. Forecasts suggest Bertha may weaken before or shortly after landfall, but flash flooding, storm surge, and severe weather remain real risks along the coast. The firm’s litigation team has put together guidance on what to do before the storm arrives and how to protect an insurance claim if damage occurs.
“After a storm, most people focus on cleanup. But what you do in the first day or two is usually what decides how the claim goes,” said Josh Bowlin, a partner at CB Trial. “The one that catches people out is the difference between flood damage and wind-driven water. Under Texas law those are two different claims, and how you document it matters.”
Before the storm
- Secure the building. Board up vulnerable windows, clear gutters and storm drains, and bring in or anchor anything that could become a projectile — furniture, signage, loose equipment.
- Pull your policies. Find the declarations pages for your homeowners or commercial policy and for any separate flood coverage, whether NFIP or private. Keep copies in a waterproof bag and in cloud storage.
- Take “before” photos today. Walk the property and photograph the roof, exterior walls, each room, and any stored inventory or equipment. Time-stamped images establish what condition things were in before the storm, which is often the hardest thing to prove later.
If your property is damaged
If Bertha does damage your property, CB Trial recommends five steps immediately after the storm passes.
| Step | Action | What it means and why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Make it safe, then limit the damage | Once the property is safe to enter, do what you can to stop the loss getting worse — tarp the roof, shut off the water main. Keep the receipts for tarps, plywood, and pumps. Most policies reimburse those costs. |
| 2 | Photograph everything before you clear it | Do not tear out carpet or drywall or throw anything away until it is documented. Photograph waterlines on the walls inside and out, broken windows, downed limbs, and any damaged contents or equipment. |
| 3 | Report the claim quickly | Notify the carrier as soon as you can. Texas law requires prompt notice of loss to preserve your rights under the policy. Write down the claim number, who you spoke to, and when. |
| 4 | Separate wind damage from flood damage | A standard property policy usually covers wind and wind-driven rain. Rising water and storm surge require a separate flood policy. Document where the water actually came in — a roof breach opened by wind is a different claim from street water rising into the building. |
| 5 | Keep a claim journal | Log every call, email, and site visit with your insurer, adjusters, and contractors. Do not sign a full release or cash a final settlement check before someone reads the fine print. |
Hurricane and tropical storm claims get complicated quickly, particularly when a carrier delays, undervalues, or denies a legitimate payout. CB Trial handles first-party insurance litigation for property owners and businesses: documenting losses, assessing damages, dealing with the insurer directly, appealing denials, and filing suit in state or federal court where a carrier has acted in bad faith. The firm works on contingency, so clients pay nothing upfront unless there is a recovery. More detail on the firm’s hurricane claims practice.
“We have spent more than twenty years across the table from Texas carriers, so we know the tactics,” Bowlin said. “The job is to hold them to what the policy actually says.”
About CB Trial
CB Trial (Callender Bowlin) is a boutique trial firm headquartered in Houston, Texas, with offices in Denver, Colorado and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded by trial attorneys Mark Callender and Josh Bowlin, the firm represents businesses, homeowners, commercial property owners, and individuals in high-stakes litigation. Its practice covers first-party insurance and bad faith claims, storm and catastrophic property damage, commercial litigation, healthcare advocacy, and personal injury. For more information, visit
www.cbtrial.com or call 713-300-8700.
