If you're in a hurricane's path, it's never too early to think about how to land on your feet once it's over. There will be the aftermath -- the mud, the flooding, the wind damage and a mess so complete that it will be hard to know where to begin putting things right.
Should your home be damaged, resist the temptation to flee and deal with it later. Your mission -- and you'd better accept it -- is to call your insurers and get the claim ball rolling. The sooner you report damage, the sooner you get to cash the check.
Immediately after the storm
- Drive only if necessary. Debris and floodwaters may be covering roads, making them impassable.
- Stay on firm ground. Moving water only 6 inches deep can sweep you off your feet. Standing water may also be electrically charged from downed power lines.
- Beware of snakes, insects and other animals driven to higher ground by floodwaters.
- Enter your home with extreme caution. Beware of fallen objects or damaged roofs and walls.
- Use flashlights for light. Do not use matches, torches, candles or other open flames.
- Check gas, water and electrical lines for damage. Do not try to repair damaged gas or electrical lines yourself; call a professional. Check appliances as well.
- Do not drink or prepare food with tap water until you are certain it is not contaminated.
- If your home was flooded, flush plumbing fixtures with water. Have health authorities inspect your sanitary disposal system.
- Do not eat food that came into contact with floodwaters.
- For insurane purposes, take pictures of all damage before starting cleanup or repairs.
- Never connect portable generators to your house. Use them only to run necessary appliances. Keep them outside when in use; the exhaust can be deadly in enclosed areas.
- Remove shutters or plywood, and open windows and doors, to ventilate or dry your home if necessary.
- Wear protective clothing while cleaning up debris. Wear rubber gloves while scrubbing flood-damaged interiors and furniture.
Call right away
You can contact your agent by phone or e-mail, but it is a good idea to also mail a letter notifying the company and outlining the loss. Getting proof of delivery will let you off the hook if, for some reason, your report goes unrecorded, and there is some question concerning timing of the claim.
Hunt down your insurance policies
Don't take the naive attitude that your insurance company will take care of everything.
"Even if you have a good, proactive company, you have obligations," says James Walsh, author of "Get Your Claim Paid."
And with all of your policies in hand, when things settle down, consider which revisions you want -- or need -- to make in case there ever is a next time.
For example, can you get a more reasonable deductible? In at least 15 coastal states stretching from Maine to Texas, the hurricane-related wind-damage deductible (especially on newer policies) probably isn't a flat amount. It usually equals 2% to 5% of your home's insured value, meaning that if you have a $200,000 policy, you'll have to cover as much as $10,000 in hurricane-related damage before your homeowners policy kicks in. Some companies will allow you to pay a higher premium to lower the percentage or, in some cases, get a flat-dollar deductible. Some insurers even allow changes with as little as 24 hours notice. Call your agent and ask. The worst the company can do is say no.
Another coverage worth adding, if you don't already have it, is sewer-backup insurance. Homeowners policies don't cover flooding -- you have to buy federal flood insurance for that. But sewer-backup insurance will cover damage caused by water that backs up, overloading the sewer system, your septic tank or your sump pump, and then flows into the house.
Check your property thoroughly as soon as possible
It also is a good idea to corroborate any damages by taking photographs. If you have pre-storm pictures of your property and belongings, all the better. The before-and-after photographs can substantiate how much property you lost or how strong a hit your home took.
Make temporary repairs
But stop short of removing evidence of the damage. If the insurance adjuster can't see what happened, he's unlikely to take your word that it did.
And as much as you'd like any help, don't accept the services of companies that drive through damaged neighborhoods immediately after a disaster and offer to remove fallen trees or quickly reroof. These services may seem tempting, says Carolyn Gorman, a vice president of the Insurance Information Institute, but catastrophes bring scam artists out of the woodwork.
Plus, the services that many of these opportunistic companies offer, such as tree removal, are usually performed free of charge by Federal Emergency Management Association teams. You can find a description of other FEMA services online.
Be wary
Thieves have been known to use this ruse to get inside homes.
Be prepared
It can be a blessing if your insurance company sets up an emergency-claims office in the area and offers to settle partial claims on the spot. This is a practice of many large insurance companies experienced in disaster management. But don't jump at immediate relief. Occasionally, a less scrupulous insurer will try to slip in language on a small settlement that states the payment is a full satisfaction of the company's liability.
And be careful of anything you sign, warns Walsh.
"Under those circumstances, most major companies won't require that you sign anything other than endorsing the check," says Walsh.
Even before you do that, make sure that there isn't language on the back of the check that prevents you from making further claims.
Don't jump at the first offer
"If you're sure you're right, don't take no for an answer," says Gorman.
If all else fails, file a report with your state insurance department.
"In a disaster situation, no company wants the state insurance department breathing down its neck," says Gorman.
It's possible that your policy limits you to rebuilding exactly the same house in exactly the same place. Many policies don't. Consider whether you want to use this opportunity to move to a condominium, or pick up stakes and sail around the world.
Get help
But if you're unable to be near the property, or the claim is complicated or you're not well, you might consider hiring a licensed public adjuster. At a cost of about 10% of the claim, such an adjuster can read over your policies, submit the paperwork and follow up on any problems.
Vet the repair services
Whether you go with the insurer's choice or find somebody on your own, don't be in such a rush that you neglect to check references or sign on the dotted line for work you don't want. And if the insurance company is paying the repair company directly, don't sign anything that approves payment until the work is completed to your satisfaction.
Continue to be vigilant
Storms sometimes trigger things such as sinkholes and other earth movement that occur days or months later. And foundations of houses may shift or settle weeks after flooding. But don't let too much time pass. Find out your policy's time limit on making claims, and meet that deadline.
