Your house has been leveled or your car has been crushed under a tree — what do you do now? File a claim — and fast.
Hundreds of thousands of insurance policyholders are expected to file claims over the next few days — but New Yorkers are acting quickly. State Farm, for example, received 24,600 Hurricane Sandy-related claims by noon Wednesday, and New York State residents comprised a plurality, with 7,500 claims.
Here’s a checklist to ensure your insurance company sends a catastrophe team to make an inspection and then get you payment as quickly as possible.
1. First, call your local agent, call the insurance company’s 800-line, use the company’s mobile app, or go to its website. “All of these ways will work equally effectively,” according to New York-based State Farm public affairs specialist Rachael Risinger.
2. When it is safe, make temporary repairs to prevent more damage. That includes tarping or covering a roof or hole in the ceiling, covering broken windows with plywood or plastic, or securing any loose objects.
3. Save receipts for supplies. Reimbursements are possible.
4. Take photos or video for your own records, but real assessment occurs when agency representatives visit the site. Even if the house isn’t there anymore, a company representative still has to confirm all damage visually.
5. Make a list of potential property loss. Take a total home inventory.
6. Stay organized. Keep an active, open file of all paperwork. “Keep names and phone numbers of all insurance agency personnel,” said Jeanne Salvatore, vice president of consumer affairs for the Insurance Information Institute, a group providing research, service, and education to insurance seekers.
7. There is no standard waiting time for a catastrophe team member to contact you about the claim.
“Our number one priority right now is to respond to the needs of our customers by providing quality service as quickly as possible,” said Risinger. “Our adjusters in the field, and the adjusters who will be arriving as part of our special disaster response teams, will be working 12 hours a day, seven days a week. Our goal is to get claims handled as quickly as possible. Claim time is going to vary depending on the severity of the claim. Obviously, this storm impacted a large area and our claim volume likely will reflect that.”
8. Most homeowner and renter insurance policies provide alternative residence stipends, usually a percentage of your total policy cost. Policy holders can normally choose from hotels or apartments, depending on their needs.
“After Sept. 11, most homeowners whose residences were unlivable relocated to midtown locations,” said Salvatore. “People should pick what works best for them.”
9. Checks can take from one to three months or more, depending on the complexity of the damage and number of claims on the insurance coverage.
“You just never know,” said Salvatore. “It really varies. It’s almost impossible to give a date.”
Storms like Hurricane Sandy remind homeowners of the need for insurance. But those without insurance should call the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which in cases of disaster, can provide assistance or loans.
Unfortunately, that’s the only recourse. One potential solution is to borrow against the cost of the land to rebuild the home, Salvatore said.
