Insurance Commish Mike Chaney issued the following statement.
Having the right information following a disaster makes filing a claim easier and faster. Find your policy information, store it in a safe, waterproof place, and make a digital copy. If you didn’t have a home inventory before the storms, make one now to give to your insurance company.
Damage caused by tornadoes is covered under standard homeowners and business insurance policies, as well as the optional comprehensive portion of an auto insurance policy. Flood insurance requires a separate policy and is not covered by your homeowner policy.
“Let your insurance company know the extent of the damage,” said Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney. “After tornadoes and other disasters, insurance companies will reach out to those with the worst losses first. If you are not staying on the property, make sure your insurance representative knows where and how to contact you.”
Follow these steps when filing a claim:
· Prepare to file an insurance claim by gathering all relevant policy numbers.
· File your claim as soon as possible. Your policy may require that you make the notification within a certain time period.
· Be aware, if a widespread disaster has occurred, the company may set up special procedures.
· Be sure you cooperate fully with the insurance company. Ask what documents, forms and data you will need to file a claim. Keep a record of all conversations with insurance companies, creditors or relief agencies.
· If your home is damaged to the extent that you can’t live there, ask your insurance company if you have coverage for additional living expenses.
· Take photographs/video of the damage. Inventory your home for damaged or lost items before your adjustor arrives. This will speed up your claim process.
· Make the repairs necessary to prevent further damage to your property (cover broken windows, leaking roofs and damaged walls).
· Don’t have permanent repairs made until your insurance company has inspected the property and you have reached an agreement on the cost of repairs. Be prepared to provide the claims adjuster with records of any improvements you made prior to the damage.
· Maintain any damaged personal property for the adjuster to inspect.
· Ask the adjuster for an itemized explanation of the claim settlement offer.
· Be patient and assist claims adjusters assigned to your case. Small losses may be settled quickly; extensive claims will take longer.
· Save all receipts, including those from the temporary repairs covered by your insurance policy.
20 comments:
Good advice, yet no mention of hands on the ankles bc you're filing a claim?
Who is responsible for a large tree falling from a neighbor's house across the street, downing power lines, crushing a car, and blocking traffic? This is in the Fondren area. The city came out and stood around looking at it and left. We've heard conflicting reports from Entergy and the city about who's responsible and that it'll be until after the 13th before our electricity is restored. There seems to just be a lot of circling the drain about who's responsible. The tree fell yesterday afternoon with those strong winds that came through. If anyone has some suggestions or information that might help I'd appreciate it.
I'm in insurance. It is an act of God just like if a tornado picked up your car and put it on your neighbors roof. You have to clean up the tree in your yard but the neighbor's house no. Some of you are going to find out about the cheap policies you obtained on line, most have a 1% wind and hail deductible. That means $450,000 value on the house and you have a $4500 deductible. Also some companies (Progressive) are giving you actual cash value roof coverage depreciating your roof. That means a 20 year old roof that is 10 years old you get half the cost to replace it.
Good luck getting Entergy motivated to do $h!+ unless it involves amazon in Madison County. That's literally all they give a $h!+ about.
11:18 if the tree wasn't dead prior to, and the homeowner was not notified that it was a nuisance or liability to other property, it is considered an act of God. In that case, everyone is responsible for their property the tree tore up. Entergy for the power, the city for clearing the streets, and each homeowner that the downed tree rests on their property is responsible for their damaged property, either out of pocket, or from an insurance carrier.
Chaney needs to get with these carriers and stop this mass exodus from the property carriers that write in Mississippi. We understand these storms are becoming more and more frequent, and inflation isn't helping the costs of claims, but it's getting to the point the carriers are doing everything they can not to write property policies, limiting, coverages, terminating coverages, etc.
Condolences to everyone who has to file an insurance claim and those who are still without power.
Our new whole house generator and propane tank will be installed in about two weeks. It's expensive but worth the peace of mind for old folks like us who live in the country.
We understand these storms are becoming more and more frequent ...
You're hooked in the gill.
We had a lot of hail in Madison. I'm not sure whether to contact my insurance company (Allstate) first or one of the roofing companies that have been around in the last few months wanting to inspect my roof for past damage.
Getting roof damage covered by several BIg Name companies is almost impossible these days. The Insurance Commissioners office needs to step up. I’m willing to pay more if I know that a my claim will be fairly adjusted.
11:30, not sure who you represent, but just about every company has gone to a percentage wind/hail deductible or about to or implemented some sort of roof limitation. Travelers, State Farm, and a host of other have a percentage. Farm Bureau went to all actual cash value on roofs effective 1-1-24, no more replacement cost. Cosmetic hail exclusions on metal roofs, etc. It's all coming down for every carrier. Lots of regional carriers are going to be in bad shape, or already are and you just don't know it. State Farm's financials got downgraded to a B rating which isn't good.
As for the roofers, they are half the issue with where we are at in the property insurance world. Making money hand over fist while the illegal hispanics(no knock on them) make peanuts. The insurance companies are responsible for paying losses they shouldn't on old wore out 30+ year old roofs. Also, these spring and summer storms are becoming more frequent and more severe than they have in my past 40 years on this earth. Tough times are coming in the insurance world in Mississippi. Be glad we aren't LA, GA, or FL.
Get a roofer like Elite Roofing, Ridgeland to come look at first. The last thing you want to do is file a claim and there not be much damage and it's filed on your record.
Also, these spring and summer storms are becoming more frequent and more severe than they have in my past 40 years on this earth.
Link?
@3:04: https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/severe-storm-supercell-and-tornado-trends-2023
11:58 is right though - I've heard of more and more people having their coverage non-renewed just for having tall trees around their home... even with no claim history, low hanging branches, etc. I can understand insurance companies need to manage their risk, but it seems to be getting out of hand when numerous carriers cut markets completely as opposed to offering policies at higher premiums.
Homeowners. Do NOT let your roofer “handle” your claim process for you. Do it yourself from start to finish. It’s not that hard. As a contractor I see roofers screw over people constantly this way. Never tell your roofer how much you are getting from insurance, it’s not their business. Once you have a quote of pay on roof, ask the roofer to give you a quote. You’ll be surprised at how much money you can save. I’ve seen roofers pocket extra money from insurance for interior damage, fences, landscaping, trampolines etc. that homeowners never knew they had worked into their payout. Big time scam and a lot of the major roofing companies around here do it as if they’re doing you a favor.
G.
We had a lot of hail in Madison. I'm not sure whether to contact my insurance company (Allstate) first or one of the roofing companies that have been around in the last few months wanting to inspect my roof for past damage.
Contact your insurance and notify them that there are damages and you intend to file a claim.
They will send out an inspector who will verify the roof and other damages. You want to list everything on the inspection -fence, window trim, siding etc,.You can start taking quotes from the roofing contractors whenever but it helps to know how much insurance is willing to cover. A good contractor can and should assist you with all of this.
If you can find someone that can do it for the money the insurance covers great but they will initially low ball and you like all insurance does. Don'tn take the check they gave you and spend it on something other than the roof. The contractor steps in and reminds the insurance company that it will cost more than the low ball amount and a depreciation check is cut for the remaining balance.
Don't fall for the fear tactic of using out of towner's (I'm looking at you Watkins Construction) because all of the roofing crews will be Hispanic workers mostly from Texas that come on during the crisis due to the increased work load.
As we all know by now, it is your insurance company’s job to accept your premium.
@ April 11, 2024 9:19 pm
Excellent post and advice.
Insurance is the biggest scam EVER perpetuated on man kind.
I agree 11:18 don't insure your house or car just don't worry about it. Don't obtain a loan on house or car just pay cash and pocket the savings.
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