TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – – (RealEstateRama) — As Hurricane Matthew continues to impact Florida, residents affected by the storm will soon begin the process of surveying damages to their property and belongings. Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier have the following tips to help consumers as they begin the process of filing insurance claims on damaged property and belongings:
Tip 1: Locate all applicable insurance policies. This may include a homeowners’ policy, flood policy (flood coverage is not covered under a typical homeowners’ policy and is separate coverage), and an automobile policy (may cover damage to your car from flooding).
Tip 2: Document all damaged property and belongings. Take photos or shoot video footage before attempting any temporary repairs. When you file an insurance claim, you may be asked for visual documentation of damages.
A photographic home inventory is a handy resource for this situation. A free smartphone app developed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners called “MyHome Scr.APP.book” can help you take and store a room-by-room log of photos.
Tip 3: Contact your insurance company or insurance agent as soon as possible to report damages. Insurance policies require prompt reporting of claims, so it is important to act as soon as possible.
If you need help finding your property insurance company’s website and contact information, click here. For a list of licensed insurance agents in Florida, click here.
Tip 4: Cover damaged areas that may be exposed to the elements in order to prevent further damage. Your insurance company may reimburse the expense of these temporary repairs, so keep all receipts.
Do not dispose of any damaged personal property until your insurance company adjuster has had an opportunity to survey it.
Consumers who have questions about their insurance coverage are encouraged to call CFO Atwater’s Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services’ Insurance Helpline. Helpline experts can be reached by calling 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236), or online at: www.myfloridacfo.com/hurricanematthew.
Additional storm-related information can be found on the Office of Insurance Regulation’s website at: www.floir.com/Office/HurricaneSeason/hurricaneresourcepage.aspx.
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Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater, a statewide elected official, oversees the Department of Financial Services. CFO Atwater’s priorities include fighting financial fraud, abuse and waste in government, reducing government spending and regulatory burdens that chase away businesses, and providing transparency and accountability in spending. Follow the activities of the Department on Facebook (FLDFS) and Twitter (@FLDFS).
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has primary responsibility for regulation, compliance and enforcement of statutes related to the business of insurance and the monitoring of industry markets. For more information about the Office, please visit www.floir.com or follow us on Twitter @FLOIR_comm and Facebook.
Contact: Ashley Carr, CFO Atwater’s Office
(850) 529 – 4614
communications (at) myfloridacfo (dot) com
Contact: Amy Bogner, OIR
(850) 413 – 2515
press (at) floir (dot) com
