Top 6 Insuarnce Claims Questions for After Hurricane Sandy

I am hoping that you have started the road to recovery with Hurricane Sandy and did not suffer too badly from this storm. If you are like me, you might still be in the dark at home, but hopefully with a full tank of gas in your car.

As we are doing our best to help all of our clients who need us, I thought it would be good to answer some of the top questions we get with regards to major storms like this.  While I know that some have suffered more than others, I know that many of you have questions and we are here to help you! If we don't answer your question here please contact us at 516-883-6100 or at www.allstate.com/nelsonrivera2. If you cannot get through to us you can text us to 67067: Claims.

1.)    If my tree falls on my neighbors property during the storm am I responsible?
While you may want to offer to help your neighbor, if your tree falls on your neighbor’s property and damages his/ her fence, shed, car or even house, it will have to go through your neighbor’s insurance policy whether it is their home or auto. The companies look at this as it was not your intention to have your tree fall on their property; therefore it was an unforeseen “act of god”. Your insurance company would not cover the removal of the tree from your neighbor’s property.

2.)    What happens if the power goes out and I have to stay in a hotel? Will my homeowner’s insurance company pay for this?
If your power went out but your home is still habitable, i.e. there is no hole in your roof or water damage to your house, then the insurance company will not pay for “Additional Living Expenses” just because your power is out. As inconvenient as it may be to be sitting in the dark with no power, the company will only pay for living expenses, when there is a covered loss – i.e. damage to your home and you are not able to live in it.

3.)    My home was damaged during Sandy from wind and flooding but I have no flood insurance, am I still covered?
If you had damage to your property you should still put the claim in to your homeowners company even if you don’t have flood. While the flood damage to your home and property will not be covered, we have seen insurance companies pay for claims such as wind damage to your home, sideways rain, and water backup. So you never know and in the result of a catastrophic scenario such as this, companies are looking at everything to help where they can.

4.)    The tree that fell is leaning on my house and there is damage to my roof, can I get someone to come to my house and fix it before the insurance claims adjuster gets here?
The insurance companies will always tell you that you can do what you need to do to preserve your property from further damage. So if you can see the sky through your ceiling and you didn’t have a skylight before, you should get someone to take care of the roof temporary by putting a tarp on the damaged part of your roof.  Be sure to save any receipts for proof of the temporary repairs so that the insurance company can take that into consideration for reimbursement later.

5.)    There is water damage to my carpets and other belongings; can I get rid of them before the insurance adjuster gets here?
While it might be gross, you should not throw out anything that you want to be included in a claim. If you have wet belongings or things that that were ruined, you can set it to the side like on a porch or basement or other area out of the way so that when the insurance claims adjuster comes to assess the damage, he/she can be sure to include that into your claim.

6.)    What if I flooded and I don’t have flood?
You should take photos of the damaged property with your cell phone or a camera. Call FEMA at (800) 621-3362 or visit them on the web at www.disasterassistance.gov. FEMA has stated that those that were affected may be eligible up to $31,000 in assistance, but you have to get on the list for them to help you so call sooner rather than later.

If you need help or assistance with any sort of claims, please call us at 516-883-6100 or visit us on the web at www.allstate.com/nelsonrivera2 . You can also email your questions to info@riveraagency.com. And if you cannot get through because cell service right now isn't great you can text us to 67067 and type the word CLAIMS.

If you can't find your policy or don't know where to start, please give us a call. Even if the policy isn't with us, we will help you!

And come Monday, if you have no power still and are in the area, stop by to charge your phone, grab a cup of coffee, and check your email. We want to help you!