Insurance payments to policyholders with flood and wind damage from Hurricane Sally will depend on the policies they purchased, the language in each policy and the laws of each state where the damage occurred. The media is reporting widespread inland flooding, and there are reports that many property owners whose property was damaged by flood may not have purchased flood insurance.  So, what should you do if you do not have coverage from either the government run flood program NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) or flood coverage under some other type of special manuscript policy?

Thank you to Public Adjuster Mike Stabile for contributing this update on Hurricane Dorian recovery. It’s been over 3 months since Hurricane Dorian made its unprecedented and devastating landfall in the Bahamas catastrophically damaging Great Abaco, its barrier islands and Grand Bahama. The reports from our Public Insurance Adjusters who have visited the area multiple times is that damage recovery is challenged and moving slowly. Property damage aside, many have lost their lives. In speaking with the residents, the current “official death toll” is nowhere near what they believe the actual number will be, which could be in the thousands. Our thoughts are with the families still searching for their loved ones.

No doubt about it, Hurricane Dorian is coming to Florida. We just don’t quite know where yet as the path continues to evolve. Currently, our firm is fielding many calls from prior clients and many others who are actively seeking professional claims representation in the event Hurricane Dorian causes damage to their property.  As such, our expert adjusters are working tirelessly to prepare communities and clients for the inevitable.  Before it’s too late, we encourage everyone to contact their Insurance Agent to obtain copies of their policies and ask the right questions so that they understand their Coverages, Policy Limits, Exclusions, Deductibles, etc.

When a homeowner files an insurance claim, the last thing they expect is having to include their mortgage holder on the check. But this is usually the case and cause settlement delays and confusion depending on how the mortgage holder processes the settlement. The following is a related insurance claim question we answered submitted by a policyholder.

Q. I have a VA loan through TD Bank whose main office is in Lewiston, Maine. I live in Florida and retained a public adjuster to help me deal with my insurance claim. I suffered severe damage from Hurricane Michael on 10/10/18. Do you think I will have any problems with the bank releasing insurance proceeds directly to me seeing as it could be an inconvenience for the bank with me living so far away? Also, what records will the insurance company require if I do some of the work myself and have others help me?

I was happy to contribute to this interview regarding Hurricane Florence insurance claims. We already have an adjuster team in North Carolina and have opened an office in Wilmington, NC. We already know many home and business owners are dealing with serious losses and will need to file a property or flood claim.  Some are telling us they may not see an adjuster for weeks! There are a number of steps property owners need to take in the immediate aftermath of a storm to avoid insurance claim settlement problems. Many mistakes related to filing insurance claims occur immediately following the storm. And there are also some safety issues that need to be considered before folks start mitigating their loss. It’s also important for the policyholder to understand their insurance policy responsibilities and properly document their claim.

Hopefully folks in the Mid-Atlantic will survive this storm’s wrath with very minimal loss of life or injury, but even one death or serious injury is one to many. And remember serious injuries and death are not limited to the height of a storm. In fact, state and local officials are warning the communities affected, that rising water, flash flooding, storm debris, downed power lines, and wildlife of all sorts are on the move.