AAA – The Auto Membership Group is offering recommendation to assist residents who suffered both wind or flood harm from Hurricane Milton.
“As soon as circumstances are secure to take action, start assessing your property, take photos of any harm, and phone your insurance coverage supplier instantly to start the claims course of,” stated Jennifer Pintacuda, President of AAA’s Florida-based insurance coverage supplier. “Many suppliers like AAA supply a number of methods to file a declare, whether or not that be over the telephone, on-line or a cellular app.”
Submitting an Insurance coverage Declare
To file a declare, residents ought to contact their insurance coverage supplier. Floridians who’ve insurance coverage from AAA can go to AAA.com/Declare for data on submitting a declare for dwelling, auto and flood insurance policies.
Know your Protection
Hurricanes may cause each wind and flood harm, but not all occasions are coated by the identical insurance coverage coverage.
- Harm brought on by wind and particles is roofed by a residents’ owners insurance coverage coverage. Nevertheless, that coverage doesn’t cowl flood harm to the inside of your property. Hurricane deductibles are usually imposed solely as soon as per calendar 12 months.
- Flooding is roofed by flood insurance coverage, which is a separate coverage offered by Nationwide Flood Insurance coverage Program or different personal flood insurance coverage suppliers. With out flood insurance coverage, owners might apply for federal catastrophe help by way of a mortgage from the U.S. Small Enterprise Administration. In contrast to claims funds for flood insurance coverage, SBA loans should be repaid. In contrast to with the house owner’s coverage, deductibles are usually imposed for every flood occasion.
- Wind and flood broken autos are sometimes coated by “complete” auto insurance coverage insurance policies. Nevertheless, as a result of Floridians will not be required to hold this protection choice, some is probably not protected.
What to do in case your property suffered wind/particles harm:
- Doc the harm. Take images and movies of any harm to your declare.
- File your declare instantly. The earlier you file, the earlier you get help.
- Forestall additional harm. Solely do what’s vital to forestall additional harm, till an adjuster can evaluation the harm. This consists of overlaying damaged home windows with plastic or getting knowledgeable to cowl the roof with tarps to maintain rain out.
- Doc bills and preserve receipts for any preliminary repairs, displacement or different out-of-pocket bills associated to the declare, which might rely towards your deductible. This might embrace tree removing, tarps, ice chests for meals, in a single day keep in a resort, and many others.
- Contact your insurance coverage firm instantly to start the claims course of.
What to do if your property was flooded:
- Contact your insurance coverage supplier instantly to start the claims course of.
- Take images and video of the broken areas.
- Measure and document flood water ranges. Take images of the water line with a visual tape measure to point out how excessive the water rose in your house.
- Don’t clear the flood particles line earlier than the adjuster arrives.
- Fastidiously take away water and dry out the world, so long as it’s secure to take action. Don’t enter rooms with standing water if electrical energy is on. Take precautions to restrict publicity to flood water, which might comprise dangerous micro organism and different pests.
Flooded Automobiles
When a automotive has been partially or fully submerged, AAA recommends the next:
- Don’t try to start out a car if the water stage rose above the door opening. Doing so might trigger irreversible harm to your car’s engine and different parts.
- Take images from the outside of the car. Don’t open the doorways if the water ranges are nonetheless excessive.
- As soon as the waters have receded, take images of the inside.
- Contact your insurance coverage supplier.
- Have your car towed to a mechanic for a full inspection to make sure it’s secure to be pushed.
Flood-Broken Electrical Automobiles
Batteries in hybrid and electrical autos are extremely corrosive and shouldn’t be uncovered to standing water. EVs which have been submerged in water have a excessive potential to combust as a result of battery quick circuiting. In case your EV has been uncovered to flood circumstances and you believe you studied your battery is broken, don’t drive it or join it to a charging station. As a substitute, have the car inspected by an authorized technician. Search emergency assist instantly if you happen to see or hear something uncommon coming from beneath the EV.
Inflicting Flood Harm Whereas Driving
- Don’t drive down flooded streets. It’s possible you’ll not understand how deep the water is or what’s lurking beneath.
- Should you drive by deep water and your engine cuts off, don’t try and restart it. Doing so might flood the engine. As a substitute, shortly exit the car and go to a secure location to name for assist.
- Have the car towed to a restore facility to be inspected.
Watch out for Contractor Fraud
AAA cautions residents in regards to the potential of contractor fraud. The aftermath of a hurricane or different extreme storm creates the chance for scammers and unlicensed contractors to benefit from those that need assistance.
Dishonest contractors could attempt to revenue by:
- Accepting cost then by no means finishing (and even exhibiting up for) the job.
- Utilizing inferior supplies or performing work that’s less than code.
Pink Flags to Watch For:
- Contractor exhibits up unsolicited.
- Factors out harm you haven’t beforehand observed.
- Asks for full cost up entrance and/or in money solely.
- Guarantees providers at no cost to you or gives to waive your insurance coverage deductible.
- Pressures you to encourage your loved ones, mates, or neighbors to rent them for providers.
- Affords you a reduction for letting them use leftover supplies from a earlier job.
AAA’s Recommendation
- Earlier than hiring somebody to make repairs, contact your insurance coverage firm to file your declare and make sure the harm is roofed by your coverage.
- Don’t signal any paperwork or authorize a contractor to start out work till after your insurance coverage firm critiques the damages.
- Get itemized written estimates from a minimum of three totally different licensed, insured contractors earlier than hiring somebody for the job.
Test the Contractor’s Credentials
Don’t permit a contractor to examine your property, together with your roof, till you will have verified that they’re licensed and insured.
- Confirm the contractor has an lively, legitimate Florida license at www.MyFloridaLicense.com.
- Test for complaints filed in opposition to her or him on the Higher Enterprise Bureau’s web site at www.BBB.org.
About AAA – The Auto Membership Group
The Auto Membership Group (ACG) is the second largest AAA membership in North America with greater than 13 million members throughout 14 U.S. states and two U.S. territories. ACG and its associates present members with roadside help, insurance coverage merchandise, banking and monetary providers, journey choices and extra. ACG belongs to the nationwide AAA federation with greater than 64 million members in the USA and Canada. AAA’s mission is to guard and advance freedom of mobility and enhance visitors security. For extra data, get the AAA Cell app, go to AAA.com, and comply with us on Fb, Twitter and LinkedIn.