Sandy was a super storm, and now you’re dealing with a super big mess. Maybe a tree clobbered the roof of your home. Or perhaps storm surge washed into your living room.
Once you’ve made sure you and your family are safe, what’s next? Here are 14 insider tips on dealing with home insurance claims stemming from Sandy. Unless otherwise noted, this advice is courtesy of the Insurance Information Institute and the Consumer Federation of America.
• Read through your policy to figure out what’s covered – and what’s not. If you’re unclear about your coverage, ask your insurance agent or company.
• Report your claim as soon as you can. Insurance companies generally handle them on a first-come, first-served basis. The Consumer Federation of America urges homeowners who are coping with Sandy-related losses “to be vigilant with their insurance companies to ensure that that they receive a full and fair settlement.”
“Try to remain calm, and don’t let the emotion of what just happened filter into the conversation. Keep everything professional and polite,” says Andrew Schrage, co-owner of personal finance website MoneyCrashers.com.
• Once your claim has been filed, write down your claim number. It’s easiest for your insurer’s claims departments to locate your claim information using that number.
• If holes have been torn in your roof or your windows have been shattered, be sure to cover them as quickly as possible so that wind and rain don’t cause further damage, says Cliston Brown, director of public affairs at the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America.
New York City insurance agent Eustace Greaves Jr. says he’s had to inform several customers that protecting their property from additional damage is required under their policies. “For instance, a client called me to say his roof sustained damage during the hurricane,” Greaves says. “I told him to go to Home Depot or Lowe’s to purchase a tarp and some heavy cinder blocks to secure the tarp over the damaged part of the roof.”
• Keep receipts for anything you buy for emergency repairs so you can be reimbursed by your insurer. Payments for temporary fixes are part of your total claim settlement.
• Obtain a repair estimate from a trusted local contractor to guide you in your dealings with the insurance adjuster.
• Beware of contractors who ask for money upfront and contractors whose bids are too low to be true. They might cut corners and do lousy work. Don’t make permanent repairs until your insurer’s claims adjuster has surveyed the damage.
• If you need to move out of your damaged home, hang on to your receipts. Home insurance policies cover additional living expenses – such as temporary hotel stays – if your home sustains damage from an insured disaster and is uninhabitable. Keep in mind that you may be eligible for upfront cash for living expenses, such as hotel bills. The Consumer Federation of America says insurers are “usually very good” about forking over this money.
• When your insurer dispatches an adjuster to check out the damage to your home, ask whether he or she is an employee of the insurance company or is an independent adjuster hired by the insurer. If he or she is an independent adjuster, find out whether that person can make claim decisions and payments on behalf of your insurer.
• Once you file a claim, create a journal that keeps track of every contact you have with your insurer and insurance adjuster. For each exchange, jot down the date and time and a brief description of what transpired. For instance, if an adjuster says he or she will come to your house and does not show up, make note of it.
• If you don’t already have an inventory of your household belongings, make a list of each item that was damaged or destroyed. The list should include a description of each item, the estimated date of purchase and the estimated cost to replace or fix it. Gather any sales receipts you have for damaged possessions. Don’t throw away damaged belongings until the insurance adjuster has paid a visit, Brown says.
• Take pictures of the damage – both interior and exterior shots – before you start cleaning up. “You cannot take too many photographs at this point,” Schrage says.
• Complete and return all claims forms required by your insurer as quickly as possible to speed up the claim process, says Glenn Greenberg, a spokesman for insurance company Liberty Mutual.
• Keep in mind that standard home insurance policies do not cover damage caused by flooding, including storm surge triggered by a hurricane or tropical storm. To be covered for flooding, you need to buy flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program or one of a handful of private insurers.
Bill Coffman, a public insurance adjuster in Florida, offers this last bit of advice: “Unfortunately, there is no one or two steps that will keep the homeowner safe during the claims process. They really do have to watch out for themselves and take all the actions necessary to ensure they are adequately paid.”
See Also: What happened when this woman lost five homes ot hurricanes >
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