Filed A Flood Insurance Claim? What Next?
Release Date: September 20, 2005
Release Number: 1605-027
» More Information on Alabama Hurricane Katrina
MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- As many Alabama policyholders have found out, the cause and the type of damage sustained during Hurricane Katrina makes a big difference when it comes to making an insurance claim. If you purchased a flood insurance policy through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) you may still need to take a few simple steps to identify and document the type of damage you had.
Updated contact names and numbers are important. Be sure that your agent has on file a phone number where you can be reached, especially if your home was damaged so badly that you no longer live there.
As soon as it is safe to visit the property, photograph both the outside and inside so that you will have a record of the damage and the height of the water. Photograph or videotape all damaged possessions as well.
If you have already prepared a thorough, detailed list of your home's contents, now's the time to update it. If you have not done so, take an inventory of all your items now, separating the damaged from the undamaged.
If some things are too damaged to save and may pose a health hazard, such as soaked carpeting or drapes, be sure to save a swatch of the fabric for the adjuster. Recovery officials urge homeowners and renters to remove any possible threat to health as soon as possible. Don't delay removal while awaiting an adjuster's visit. A photo will do.
It is a good idea to have receipts for any items of value, as this helps the adjuster establish their current worth. It is also a good idea to have handy the model and serial numbers of any damaged appliances or electronic gear. The better and more detailed your records the faster the claim can be settled.
You may want to get a contractor's estimate of what it will cost to repair the damage even before the adjuster arrives. If you do, be sure to provide the contractor's quote to the adjuster so that it can be considered in preparing the insurer's estimate.
When the adjuster arrives, the claim can be processed more quickly if the two of you can agree right away on the scope of the damage, that is, exactly what needs to be repaired or replaced, without arriving at a final reimbursement figure.
Depending on the complexity of the claim, a settlement can sometimes be made on the first visit. If a full settlement cannot be made at that time, often an adjuster can supply an advance or partial payment.
Almost 20,000 communities across the U. S. participate in the FEMA-administered National Flood Insurance program (NFIP), which makes federally backed flood insurance available to homeowners, renters and business owners in those communities.
FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages the federal response and recovery efforts following an incident of national significance. FEMA initiates mitigation activities to reduce the risk of loss in future disasters. FEMA also trains first responders, state and local emergency managers, manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 20-Sep-2005 09:16:56