Dealing with Home Insurance Adjuster after Disaster Strikes - NTV

Every year, hurricanes, tornados, violent thunderstorms, flooding and fires wreak havoc across the country.

In 2006 alone, there were 33 major catastrophes affecting hundreds of communities across the U.S., which resulted in 2.3 million claims for losses totaling $9.2 billion, according to the Insurance Information Institute. 

The Better Business Bureau recommends you take some basic preparedness steps to help you immediately following a catastrophe and offers advice for working with your insurance adjuster to ease the stress and anguish after disaster strikes. 

Preparing for a disaster:

• Create and maintain an inventory of your personal possessions. This includes taking pictures or creating a video, as well as keep receipts for major items.
• This should be saved in a safe place, such as a safe deposit box at your bank.
• Make sure you carry your policy numbers and contact information for your insurance company with you at all times.
• Read your homeowners policy carefully, so you'll know what is and what isn't covered.  And, make sure you know when the deadline is on filing claims.

After a disaster:

• Contact your insurance adjuster immediately.
• Document the damage to your property and possessions thoroughly.
• Create a detailed account of your belongings.
• Make minor repairs to limit further damage to your home – board up broken windows or throw a tarp over a leaky roof.
• Do not make permanent repairs until you get approval from your insurance company.
• If your house is destroyed by a major disaster, you may qualify for additional assistance.  Check with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at www.fema.gov for more information. 

For more advice you can trust, visit www.bbb.org or call them toll-free at 1 (800) 649-6814.