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Residential Real Estate Disaster Recovery Guide
Returning Home
In the moments after a disaster turns your home into a ruin, it’s natural to feel lost. But there are ways to quickly find yourself on the road to rebuilding your house and replacing lost, damaged or destroyed personal possessions.
This article focuses on helping you to work with your insurance company representatives. Homeowners insurance policies typically provide coverage for the dwelling, personal property and other expenses related to the loss, such as temporary housing. Your insurance company representatives have training and experience in helping homeowners recover from disasters and good advice to help the recovery process go smoothly. Most of the tips and suggestions offered here are aimed at helping to start that process.
Report the Loss as Soon as Possible
Most policies require you to report your loss promptly. Contact your insurance agent or broker or insurance company as soon as you can to report how, when and where the damage occurred. Provide a general description of the damage, and, if possible, have your policy number handy. Make a note of the claim adjuster’s name, telephone number and work schedule as soon as you have them.
Protect Yourself and Others
Always be careful before entering a damaged building. If your property has sustained serious structural damage or if there are any doubts about its safety, contact local government officials to determine the status of your house before entering. Local officials worried about safety also could order people to stay out of the building. Report downed power lines or gas leaks to the utility company. Keep electricity off if the house has been flooded. Never turn electricity on or off while standing in water. Rely on professionals to restore your utilities.
Protect Your Property
Take reasonable steps to protect your property from further damage. This could include boarding up windows and salvaging undamaged items. Check with your insurance company to see what they will pay for when protecting property.
Prepare a list of damaged or lost items
If possible, keep damaged items, or portions of these items until the claim adjuster has visited your home, and consider photographing or videotaping the damage where it occurred for further documentation to support your claim. Prepare a list of damaged or lost items for your adjuster, and, if available, give the adjuster receipts for those items. Preparing a room-by-room list of contents with photos before a disaster strikes helps to remember items, such as clothing, books or hobby equipment, that can be easily overlooked or may have been destroyed.
If you need to relocate, keep your receipts
If you cannot live in your home while repairs are being made, keep records of all additional expenses incurred as a result. Most homeowners insurance policies provide coverage for additional living expenses.
Return Claim Forms
After your insurance company has been notified of your claim, the company must send you the necessary claim forms within a certain number of days. (The time period varies by state.) Fill out and return the forms as soon as possible. If you do not understand the claim process, be sure to ask for a thorough explanation.
A claim adjuster may want to inspect the damage to your home and personal property. If you cannot live in your home and/or need to purchase clothing or other necessities immediately, your insurance company will most likely issue an immediate advance. The first check is usually an advance against the total settlement amount. It is not the final payment. As agreements are reached on the value of damaged property, the insurer will issue additional checks. If you have any questions, ask the claim adjuster.
If you have a mortgage on your house, the check for repairs to the dwelling will usually be made out to both you and the mortgage lender. This means the mortgage company or bank will have to endorse the check. Lenders generally put the money in an escrow account and pay for the repairs as the work is completed. Be sure to contact your mortgage lender beforehand to discuss the contractor’s bid and other details. Your mortgage company may want to inspect the finished job before making the final payment to the contractor.
Consider adding home safety features
As you make plans to rebuild or repair your home, ask your contractor, your insurance adjuster or your local home improvement store about features you might include that would help make your home better able to resist natural disasters common in your area. Also find out whether there are any applicable building code requirements along these lines.
Source: Institute for Business & Home Safety
This is a blog post for Real Estate Professionals, Investors, Landlord, Property Manager, and Property Management Companies. Guide for homeowners, property owners on how to work with insurance company after disaster is brought to you by SimplifyEm Pay Rent Online and Property Management SoftwareYou might also want to read:
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