If you experience a loss, please be sure to read the important information below and take the necessary steps to file your claim. As with any claim, we are here to assist with the reporting and handling; however, in case of catastrophic damage, communication may be difficult immediately after the storm. In an effort to expedite the claims process, visit the links below to obtain carrier contact information.
Personal Policyholders (link to list of carrier contact numbers and websites)
Business Policyholder (link to list of carrier contact numbers and websites)
Important Information Regarding Your Claim:
If you have filed a claim for a loss from a hurricane, the following helpful information will assist you during this process:
1. Your insurance company will assign an adjuster to contact you at the number you provided on your claim report. Please let us know if that has changed or if there is an alternate number where you may be reached. Insurers usually send adjusters to the more severely damaged properties first. If you suffered minor damage, please be patient.
2. If your business or home is uninhabitable or you move somewhere else temporarily, let the insurance company or Acrisure know where you can be reached. Spray-painting your building is not recommended, as most policies do not cover exterior painting. Your name and correct address should be sufficient for an adjuster to find you.
3. In some instances, an adjuster may issue you an advance payment. This emergency advance will be deducted from your final claim payment.
4. Take pictures of the damage including your contents prior to making any temporary repairs.
5. Begin making temporary repairs to prevent further damage. Save all of your receipts as the company will ask for them at a later date. It is recommended to not remove debris until it has been seen by the adjuster.
6. Do not attempt to make permanent repairs on your home or business until an adjuster has inspected it.
7. You will be required to complete a Personal Property Inventory form for damaged items.
· We suggest that you complete this on a per location basis. List the “Replacement Cost” of each item and its actual cash value, if known. Replacement Cost is what it would cost today to replace an item with another one just like it. Actual Cash Value is what the item is worth after deducting for depreciation and wear. Attach any available documentation (receipts, photos, cancelled checks, credit card statements, warranty booklets, etc.)
8. Most homeowners and business owner policies provide for removal of trees or branches that have fallen on a covered structure. They typically do not pay for removal of trees or debris that blew into your yard or fell in your yard without damaging anything. This coverage varies by company.
9. If your property is rendered uninhabitable, most policies provide Loss of Use Coverage which is designed to reimburse you for extra expenses and temporary housing. Usually, temporary housing coverage is based on a similar home of like kind and quality, and the length of time you will be displaced (subject to your policy limits).
· Additional Living Expenses: Extra Expense coverage is designed to reimburse you for the extra expenses you incur after a loss that you would not normally incur, such as renting a temporary space, additional mileage, generators, electrical, computer or phone expenses over and above your usual costs. This coverage is typically paid on an incurred basis. You must incur the extra expense and provide proof of loss in the form of receipts or invoices.
10. If you are unable to temporarily relocate your business and must completely shut down until repairs are made, or if you do maintain operations but at a lower business volume, you may also be able to recoup some of your lost profits and continuing expenses, such as payroll for key employees, if your policy includes Business Interruption coverage.
11. If you have had a change of mortgagee on a property; completed paying for a vehicle or piece of equipment; or had a change in the named insured (due to death or divorce, etc.), then make sure that you have notified us and an endorsement is made to correct your policy. Any related checks with an insured lienholder will be made payable to YOU AND THE LIENHOLDER, as shown on your policy.
12. If you have not heard from an adjuster within 7 to 14 days, notify us immediately so that we can determine what the delay is. We can assist you with your claim.
13. Depending on the severity of storm damage in your area, you may need to arrange to meet the adjuster somewhere else and then proceed to your property.
Please advise us if you are having difficulty with your claim so that we will be in a position to assist you. Any questions or challenges you encounter are important to us.
Resources:
- National Hurricane Center | Noaa.gov
- Hurricanes | Ready.gov
- Hurricane | Fema.gov
- Natural Disasters and Severe Weather: Before, During, and After | Natural Disasters | CDC
- About Hurricanes and Other Tropical Storms | Hurricanes | CDC
