Selfishly, being able to respond fast, mitigates damage to the property (frozen pipes, mold!)

Get a damage restoration company involved.

You should have updated the address in the lender portal to your physical address so you receive statements and late pay warnings.Only way this scenario happens is if you do none of these. 

My lease requires renter's insurance which should cover loss of use if the unit becomes damaged/uninhabitable, but I don't think renters insurance covers costs of living expenses incurred during just an evacuation.

So much propaganda they only list peer-reviewed medical journals outlining the data and conclusions http://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-biblio...it's not a conspiracy that most insurance companies either do not allow those breeds on properties they insure or the exclude damage done by those "vicious breeds" it's an actual, real and present danger and very applicable to the aspiring and actual professional property manager/investor.

The idea of it sitting empty caused me emotional damage. 

@Augusta Owens here's some copy & paste info you won't find in a book:)-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

If the project is large enough, liquidated damages (LDs) should be considered as well.

@Tayvion Payton here's some useful info:Recommend you first figure out the property Class you want to invest in, THEN figure out the corresponding location to invest in.Property Class will typically dictate the Class of tenant you get, which greatly IMPACTS rental income stability and property maintenance/damage by tenants.If you apply Class A assumptions to a Class B or C purchase, your expectations won’t be met and it may be a financial disaster.If you buy/renovate a property in Class D area to Class A standards, what quality of tenant will you get?

We decided hurricane lane FL was a great place to build metropolis and than cry every time it's damaged.