Insurance Claim Process for Storm Damage
On January 17th, powerful spring-like storms spawned a winter tornado that slammed into Eastern Jefferson County in Louisville Kentucky, uprooting trees, yanking down power lines and damaging buildings. Thousands were left without power in the area, though utility crews made quick inroads in restoring electricity. At the height of the outages, more than 23,000 customers of Louisville Gas & Electric Co. or Kentucky Utilities Co. were without power, with the bulk in Jefferson County. By late afternoon, outages affected more than 4,500 customers, but crews were on track to restore power for most of them by late Tuesday night.
The tornado packed winds of 95 mph and touched down in a mostly residential area. The tornado first touched down near a busy intersection in northeastern Jefferson County and then tracked northeast before going aloft. It touched down again about a mile away and crossed the freeway where the two tractor-trailers were overturned.
As the residents of Eastern Jefferson County clean up the debris and repair the damage the tornado left behind, we thought it was important to review tips for dealing with insurance claims after tornado damage. These seven tips, from the Insurance Information Institute, will help speed up the insurance claims settlement process following a tornado:
- If it is safe to access the area inspect the property and take photographs of the damage. Visual documentation will help with the claims process and can assist the adjuster in the investigation.
- Be prepared to give your agent or insurance company representative a detailed description of the damage to your property. Your agent will report the loss to your insurance company or to a qualified adjuster who will contact you as soon as possible in order to arrange an inspection of the site.
- Prepare a detailed inventory of all damaged or destroyed personal property. Make two copies—one for yourself and one for the adjuster. Your list should be as complete as possible, including a description of the items, dates of purchase or approximate age, cost at time of purchase, and estimated replacement cost.
- Collect canceled checks, invoices, receipts, or other papers that will assist the adjuster in obtaining the value of the destroyed property.
- Make whatever temporary repairs you can. Cover broken windows and damaged roofs and walls to prevent further destruction. Save the receipts for any supplies and materials you purchase as your insurance company will reimburse you for reasonable expenses in making temporary repairs.
- Secure a detailed estimate for permanent repairs to your home or business from a licensed contractor and give it to the adjuster. The estimate should contain the proposed repairs, repair costs, and replacement prices.
- If your home is severely damaged and you need to find other accommodations while repairs are being made, keep a record of all expenses, such as hotel and restaurant receipts
