Protecting the Home: Severe Weather and Natural Disasters

General Information

• Approved Credit Hours: 6.0 hours
• State: Missouri
• Course Availability: 365 days from enrollment

Course Description

Severe weather and natural disasters can significantly impact residential property condition, value, insurability, and marketability. From hail and flooding to earthquakes and fires, environmental events present risks that real estate professionals must understand in order to effectively support buyers and sellers.

Real estate licensees are often among the first professionals homeowners turn to when preparing for, responding to, or recovering from a weather-related event. While real estate professionals do not replace inspectors, engineers, or insurance specialists, a working knowledge of common risks, mitigation strategies, and recovery considerations is essential to competent representation.

This course examines the causes, property impacts, and practical considerations associated with major natural hazards. It explores preventive measures, visible indicators of damage, insurance implications, and appropriate referral practices. Emphasis is placed on helping professionals recognize issues that may influence disclosures, inspections, negotiations, and transaction timelines.

Course Topics

This course covers the following topics:

• Unit 1: Hail: Formation, regional risk factors, common property damage, inspection considerations, and insurance basics.

• Unit 2: Flooding: Types of flooding, mitigation strategies, FEMA flood zones, and visible indicators of past water damage.

• Unit 3: Freezes: Structural impacts of freezing weather, preventive maintenance, and post-event assessment considerations.

• Unit 4: Tornadoes: Development, structural vulnerabilities, preparedness features, and recovery factors affecting property condition.

• Unit 5: Earthquakes: Geological causes, retrofit considerations, market impacts, and structural assessment referrals.

• Unit 6: Fires: Fire risks, damage indicators, remediation documentation, and disclosure implications.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to:

• Describe how hail formation occurs and why hail size and structure can vary.

• Identify common hail-related damage to roofs, siding, windows, gutters, and outdoor structures.

• Recommend practical hail preparedness steps homeowners can take, including maintenance and protective upgrades.

• Explain key insurance coverage considerations for hail damage, including deductibles, exclusions, and documentation needs.

• Outline safe post-storm inspection steps, when to involve a professional, and how to support clients through the basic claim and repair process without giving legal or insurance advice.

• Explain common causes and categories of natural flooding, including where flood-prone conditions are most likely to occur.

• Identify major flood impacts on homes, including structural damage, health risks, and long-term financial effects.

• Describe practical flood protection measures homeowners can use, from drainage and waterproofing to emergency planning.

• Summarize key flood insurance basics, including what is typically covered, when coverage may be required, and how to purchase it.

• Outline safe steps for responding after a flood, including documentation, signs of damage to look for, and when to involve licensed professionals.

• Explain how freezing weather patterns contribute to common winter hazards such as ice formation, snow load, and freeze-thaw cycles.

• Identify typical types of freeze-related property damage, including frozen pipes, ice dams, and frost heave.

• Describe practical steps for preventing freeze damage, including insulation, pipe protection, and heating system maintenance.

• Outline safe procedures for assessing and responding to freeze damage, including documentation, thawing methods, and insurance claim basics.

• Explain how tornadoes develop and how tornado strength is measured using the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale.

• Identify tornado-prone regions and seasonal patterns, including increased risk during nighttime tornadoes.

• Recognize common tornado impacts on a home, including structural damage and related issues such as broken openings, debris damage, and water intrusion.

• Apply tornado preparedness and recovery steps, including emergency planning, safe sheltering, documentation for claims, and knowing when to involve qualified professionals.

• Explain how earthquakes occur, including the role of fault lines and seismic waves in ground movement.

• Identify major seismic zones in the United States and understand how earthquake risk varies by region.

• Recognize common types of earthquake-related property damage, including structural failure, soil liquefaction, and surface rupture.

• Apply appropriate steps for post-earthquake assessment and recovery, including safety checks, documentation, insurance claims, and structural repairs or retrofits.

• Explain why home fires create serious safety and financial risks for homeowners.

• Identify common causes of residential fires and describe how fires spread through heat transfer and building design.

• Recognize major types of fire-related damage, including structural, smoke, and water damage, and related health concerns.

• Outline key steps for post-fire assessment and recovery, including documentation, insurance claims, and working with restoration professionals.

Instructor & Customer Support

For questions about the course content, please contact the Instructor.

Course Instructor: Chris Culbertson
Contact Information: instructor@onlineed.com
Instructor Availability: Monday-Friday, business hours, excluding holidays
Instructor Policy Response Time: within 1 business day
 
If you have questions about your account or course navigation, please contact the course provider:

OnlineEd
Phone: 1-(503)-670-9278
Email: mail@onlineed.com
Chat and additional options: https://www.onlineed.com/system/pages/contact.php

Completion & Attendance Requirements

Completion Requirements. Continuing education credit is awarded upon successful completion of all required course components and satisfaction of regulatory active time requirements.

Stay Active in the Course. The course platform electronically monitors active participation. Time tracking will pause during periods of inactivity. You may exit and return to the course at any time. Your progress will be saved.

Active Time Requirements. Per Missouri regulations, CE courses require a minimum participation time for course completion. If you complete the instructional material early, you must remain actively logged in until the required time has elapsed before credit can be awarded.  The state regulator recognizes a 50-minute clock hour – accounting for 10 minutes of break time every hour.

Assessments

Each unit will end in a multiple-choice quiz to test your knowledge. Quizzes require a score of at least 70% to proceed to the next unit. You can take quizzes as many times as needed.

This course will end with a final exam that requires a score of at least 75% to receive credit. Exams are graded instantly and can be attempted as many times as needed with no additional fees.

Course Completion Survey

Students are encouraged to submit a survey upon completion of the course. This short survey helps us improve the course material and student experience. It is required by most regulatory agencies. Your thoughtful feedback is appreciated.

Certificates & Credit Reporting

Upon successful completion of all course requirements, a certificate of completion will be issued.  You are responsible for maintaining a copy of your certificates of completion and renewing your license with the state regulator. 

OnlineEd will automatically report course completion credits to MREC-MOPRO within 1 business day on the student's behalf. Students don't need to take any additional steps for OnlineEd to initiate the reporting, except to complete the course and receive a completion certificate.

Technology Requirements

Courses may be accessed from a computer, tablet, or mobile device with a stable internet connection.  We recommend the most recent browser versions.  This includes all modern browsers and operating systems including Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera, iPhone / iOS, and Android-based mobile devices, smartphones, and tablets. The course is entirely web-based and does not require any software to be downloaded or installed.  For accurate time tracking and progress recording, access courses in one browser window at a time. 

Course Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Refund & Cancellation Policy

All tuition and fees paid for the course are refundable when: (a) the course of instruction is discontinued by OnlineEd and such discontinuation has prevented a student from completing the course; or (b) the enrollment of the student was procured as a result of any misrepresentation in promotion materials of the school, or representation made by an owner or employee of the school. All refunds will be completed within 30 days after the effective date of enrollment termination. Refunds will not be given to any student after the student has successfully registered in a course or courses, as once registered, student has access to the registered courses. In hardship cases, OnlineEd may issue a refund at its sole discretion. OnlineEd does not issue retroactive partial refunds for courses that are subsequently discounted or put on sale after a student makes a purchase.

Academic Integrity and Identity Verification

Students must complete all coursework independently. OnlineEd prohibits misrepresentation of identity or allowing another individual to complete coursework on your behalf. Failure to comply with academic integrity policies may result in denial of credit.

Student Conduct Policy

Students are expected to show respect, courtesy, and consideration when interacting with school staff and students. Students are expected to conducting themselves in a professional, legal, and cooperative manner that is not disruptive, harassing, intimidating, or dangerous. Deviation from these standards may result in disciplinary action.

Non-Discrimination Policy

OnlineEd does not discriminate for admission on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, age or disability. Any person who feels they have been unlawfully discriminated against may file a complaint with the School Director, either by email (schooldirector@onlineed.com) or by postal mail (ATTN: School Director, 14355 SW Allen Blvd. Suite 240, Portland, OR 97005). If OnlineEd determines that any employee of OnlineEd has engaged in discriminatory activity, such employee shall be disciplined.

Grievance Policy

If a student has a grievance against OnlineEd, its staff or students, the aggrieved student shall contact the School Director by email or mail, stating the nature of the grievance. The School Director shall evaluate the grievance and respond to the student based upon their findings.

Policies on Cheating and Misrepresentation

Cheating on courses that supply completion certificates, designations, or official credit is not tolerated. OnlineEd is not obligated to continue to furnish credit or continued support for students caught cheating on any part of the coursework or testing.
 
Misrepresentation of personal identity is strictly forbidden for all OnlineEd courses. Falsifying personal information, forgery, and misrepresentation may result in immediate suspension. Additional actions by state and federal agencies may include loss or suspension of a license, failure to grant a license, fees, or criminal prosecution.

Publisher

This course is developed and delivered by OnlineEd, LLC.

OnlineEd, LLC
14255 SW Allen Blvd., Suite 240
Portland, OR 97005
(503) 670-9278
https://www.OnlineEd.com/
mail@OnlineEd.com

Mission Statement

To provide superior distance education that exceeds industry standards and expectations in course content and delivery methods to those who seek to enter a new profession and those engaged in a profession.