Courtesy of iii.org

Following a hurricane or other disaster, getting back to normal can take some time. To assist in the recovery process, the Triple-I has compiled useful information around post-disaster safety and insurance coverage questions, with detailed guidance on how to file a claim. In addition, resources specific to Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas affected by recent storms are included.

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Hurricane Sally is now expected to result in damage totals between $8 billion to $10 billion, far more than the initial estimates of $2 billion to $3 billion, according to Chuck Watson of Enki Research.

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Safety and resources for recovery

Following a hurricane, new perils brought by the storm can pose risks. And if you have evacuated, it might not be safe to go back home. The following articles provide information and guidance to keep you and your loved ones safe in the aftermath.

Articles:

After a hurricane, beware of the dangers that remain

When disaster strikes: Preparation, response and recovery

Health safety following a flood

Recovering from a flood

Catastrophe-related fraud

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What does insurance cover?

In the aftermath of a hurricane or natural disaster, policyholders may have questions about the insurance process, including what is covered and what isn’t. Here are some answers to many of these common questions about home, auto, flood and other coverages.

Articles:

Hurricane insurance FAQ

What is covered by standard homeowners insurance?

Renters insurance

Co-op or condo insurance

Mobile home insurance

Basic auto insurance

Boat insurance

How does flood insurance work?

Business insurance and flooding: Q&A

Environmental liability insurance

Spoiled food

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Claims

After a disaster, you want to get back to normal as soon as possible, and your insurance company wants to help. You may get multiple checks from your insurer as you make temporary repairs, permanent repairs and replace damaged belongings. Here’s what you need to know about claims payments, including how to file a claim, what to expect during the process, and detailed explanations of what hurricane deductibles are, and how they work.

Articles:

Understanding the insurance claims payment process

How to file a homeowners claim

Hurricane deductible backgrounder

Understanding your insurance deductibles

Infographic: Hurricane deductibles

Ordered to evacuate due to hurricane Laura? You might have insurance coverage for additional living expenses

How is the settlement amount determined?

Infographic: How to file a flood insurance claim: Tips from FEMA

What is a public adjuster?

Video: Additional Living Expenses

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Additional Resources

Many national organizations and ones in your state may offer resources for recovery that are helpful to you. The following is a general list, followed by specific resources for those affected by Hurricane Laura in Louisiana and Texas.

Frequently asked questions about FEMA disaster assistance

DisasterAssistance.gov

FEMA Helpline: 1-800- FEMA (1-800-621-3362)

TTY 1-800-462-7585

711 or Video Relay Service (VRS) 1-800-621-3362

SBA Disaster Loans & Grants

Institute for Business & Home Safety

Red Cross: Hurricane safety checklist

NFIP: Floodsmart.gov

Local resources and insurers

Florida resources:

• Other Florida resources

Courtesy of iii.org

How gap insurance works

When you buy or lease a new car or truck, the vehicle starts to depreciate in value the moment it leaves the car lot. In fact, most cars lose 20 percent of their value within a year. Standard auto insurance policies cover the depreciated value of a car—in other words, a standard policy pays the current market value of the vehicle at the time of a claim.

If, when you finance the purchase of a new car and put down only a small deposit, in the early years of the vehicle’s ownership the amount of the loan may exceed the market value of the vehicle itself.

In the event of an accident in which you’ve badly damaged or totaled your car, gap insurance covers the difference between what a vehicle is currently worth (which your standard insurance will pay) and the amount you actually owe on it.

When you might need gap insurance

It’s a good idea to consider buying gap insurance for your new car or truck purchase if you:

• Made less than a 20 percent down payment
• Financed for 60 months or longer
• Leased the vehicle (carrying gap insurance is generally required for a lease)
• Purchased a vehicle that depreciates faster than the average
• Rolled over negative equity from an old car loan into the new loan

Where you can get gap insurance

Your car dealer may offer to sell you gap insurance on your new vehicle. However, most car insurers also offer it, and they typically charge less than the dealer. On most auto insurance policies, including gap insurance with collision and comprehensive coverage adds only about $20 a year to the annual premium.

Courtesy of iii.org

Natural disasters can be devastating to businesses. While damage caused by some types of natural events—such as lightning or wind—will usually be covered by commercial property insurance, you need a special policy if you want protection from flood damage. This Q&A will help you understand this type of coverage and determine whether your business needs it.

Frequently asked questions about flood insurance

Q. Does my commercial property insurance include flood coverage?

A. No. Damage from flooding, including flooding generated by hurricane-generated storm surge, typically is not covered under a standard commercial policy, including a Commercial Package Policy (CPP) or a Business Owners Policy (BOP). Flood insurance is available from the federal government’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Q. What does flood insurance cover?

A. Flood insurance covers damage to your building and contents caused by flood. This includes losses resulting from water overflowing rivers or streams, heavy or prolonged rain, storm surge, snow melt, blocked storm drainage systems, broken dams or levees, or other similar causes. To be considered a flood, waters must cover at least two acres or affect two properties. Generally if water comes from above—for instance from rain or melting snow overflowing gutters and leaking onto your inventory—you’ll be covered by your standard commercial property insurance.

Q. What isn’t covered by flood insurance?

A. Property outside your building generally will not be covered. For instance, landscaping and septic systems will not be covered. In addition, flood insurance will not cover damage to your business vehicles, but this can be included in the optional “comprehensive” portion of your business vehicle insurance. Financial losses caused by business interruption or loss of use of insured property are also not covered.

Q. Do I have to purchase flood insurance?

A. If your commercial property is located in a high-risk flood area and you have a mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender, you are required to purchase a flood insurance policy.

Q. How do I determine my risk for flood damage?

A. Location is the most important factor for weighing your risk for flood damage. Is your business located in or near a flood zone? (Flood map search tools can be found online.) In what part of the building is your businesses equipment and inventory located? Anything housed on a lower floor, for instance, will be at greater risk.

Q. Where can I purchase flood insurance?

A. Flood insurance is available from the NFIP and some private insurers. However, NFIP coverage can only be purchased through an insurance professional; you cannot buy it directly from the federal government. To find a local insurance professional who is familiar with the National Flood Insurance Program, contact the NFIP at 888-379-9531 for an agent referral.

Q. How long does it take to get flood coverage?

A. Typically, there’s a 30-day waiting period from date of purchase before your policy goes into effect.

Q. Does my flood policy cover mold?

A. Damage from mold and/or mildew resulting from the after-effects of a flood is covered, but each case is evaluated on an individual basis. Mold/mildew conditions that existed prior to a flooding event are not covered, and after a flood, the policyholder is responsible for taking reasonable and appropriate mitigation actions to eliminate mold and mildew.

Q. How much flood coverage can I get?

A. Commercial flood insurance provides up to $500,000 of coverage for your building and up to $500,000 for its contents.

Q. What if I need more coverage?

A. You can purchase what’s called excess insurance coverage to rebuild properties valued above National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) limits. Excess coverage includes protection against business interruption.

Courtesy of iii.org

Qualifying for FEMA assistance

 

Q. How can I tell if my area has been declared a disaster that qualifies for FEMA assistance?

A. The DiasterAssistance.gov website has a tool that will help you find out if you live in a declared disaster area.

Q. If I received disaster assistance last year, could I get it again this year?

A. Assistance may be available if you suffered damages from a previous, federally declared disaster.

Q. My child is a U.S. citizen, but I am not. Can I apply for FEMA disaster assistance?

A. If anyone in an affected household is a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national or qualified alien (aka a Green Card holder), he or she is eligible to apply for FEMA disaster assistance.

If a minor child is eligible by these criteria, even when other members of the family are not, the family can file an application on the child’s behalf. In this case, all identification documents have to be under the child’s name and Social Security number. A copy of the child’s Social Security card and birth certificate are acceptable verification. This information can be mailed to FEMA or brought to a Disaster Recovery Center.

Q. Could FEMA assistance affect my Social Security benefits, federal taxes, food stamp (SNAP) eligibility or Medicaid?

A. No. FEMA assistance does not affect benefits from other federal programs and is not considered taxable income.

Applying for FEMA assistance

 

Q. If I live in a declared disaster area, how do I apply for FEMA assistance?

A.You can apply at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or call the FEMA Helpline. For comprehensive information about the program, FEMA offers a downloadable book entitled, Individuals, Households Program Unified Guidance.

Q. What is the inspection process like after I apply for disaster assistance?

The process slightly differs depending on your insurance situation.
A.If you do not have insurance, an inspector will contact you after you apply to schedule a time to meet you at your damaged home.

If you do have homeowners insurance, you need to file your insurance claim and provide FEMA with a decision letter (settlement or denial) from your insurance company before FEMA issues an inspection. There is an exception for situations where the damages are caused by flooding and you have flood insurance. In that instance, FEMA will issue an inspection before receiving a copy of your flood insurance decision letter to evaluate your eligibility for temporary living expenses since these are not covered by flood insurance.

Q. How soon will I know if I qualify for assistance?

A. About 10 days after the inspection FEMA will decide if you qualify for assistance. If so, FEMA will send you a check by mail (or direct deposit) with an explanation of what the money covers (i.e. rent or home repair).

Q. What happens if FEMA says I don’t qualify for assistance?

A. If FEMA determines that you are ineligible for any reason, you will receive a letter and be given a chance to appeal. Appeals must be in writing and mailed within 60 days of the determination. Read the letter carefully for the reason of ineligibility before filing your appeal.

Q. After I applied for disaster assistance, I got a Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loan application. What is that for?

A. The SBA offers low interest disaster loans to assist small businesses and homeowners in their recovery. To be considered for a loan or certain types of grant assistance, such as transportation, personal property, and moving and storage, you must complete and return the application.

Q. Will my family get assistance faster if we each apply separately?

A. No. If two members of the same household apply for the same damaged home, FEMA assistance could actually be delayed. If more than one member of a household has applied, the additional registrants should call the FEMA Helpline to withdraw their applications. Once this occurs, the original registration for the household can be processed for assistance.

Q. I’ve already cleaned up the damage to my home and made repairs. Is it too late to register once the work is done?

A. No. You may be eligible for reimbursement of your cleanup and repair costs, even if repairs are complete. The important thing is to document the expenses you incur. It is a good idea to take before-and-after photos for your records.

FEMA rental assistance payments

 

Q. Why didn’t I receive rental assistance when my home can’t be lived in?

A. If you cannot live in your home because of disaster damage and you did not receive rental assistance, please contact FEMA to check on your status.  It could be that during the inspection you indicated that you were unwilling to relocate. If so, FEMA would not move forward to issuing a rental assistance check for you to move to another location.

Q. How long will FEMA provide rental assistance?

A. Rental assistance can be provided for up to 18 months from the date of declaration while you are setting up your permanent housing plan. If you still cannot return to your home after your initial period of assistance, you will be sent a letter on how to recertify.

FEMA assistance payments

 

Q. If I received a settlement from my insurance but still have additional needs, what can I do?

A. As soon as you receive an insurance settlement, you should provide a copy to FEMA and identify any unmet needs you have. Although FEMA cannot duplicate benefits that your insurance provided, FEMA may be able to assist you with lost essential items not covered by insurance and can also help you find resources through other recovery partners.

Q. Why did I get a different amount of home repair assistance than my neighbor?

A. Each survivor’s case is unique. There are several factors involved, including insurance status and the extent and type of damage found during the home inspection. If you feel that the assistance you received does not cover your needs—for example, the funding you received for repairs is less than the estimates you’ve received from contractors and you have not yet met the FEMA maximum grant—you can appeal.

Additional resources

DisasterAssistance.gov

FEMA Helpline: 1-800- FEMA (1-800-621-3362)

TTY 1-800-462-7585

711 or Video Relay Service (VRS) 1-800-621-3362

FEMA Individuals, Households Program Unified Guidance book download

SBA Disaster Loans & Grants

Courtesy of iii.org

Business interruption insurance can be as vital to your survival as a business as fire insurance. Most people would never consider opening a business without buying insurance to cover damage due to fire and windstorms. But too many small business owners fail to think about how they would manage if a fire or other disaster damaged their business premises so that they were temporarily unusable. Business interruption coverage is not sold separately. It is added to a property insurance policy or included in a package policy.

A business that has to close down completely while the premises are being repaired may lose out to competitors. A quick resumption of business after a disaster is essential.

1. Business interruption insurance compensates you for lost income if your company has to vacate the premises due to disaster-related damage that is covered under your property insurance policy, such as a fire. Business interruption insurance covers the revenue you would have earned, based on your financial records, had the disaster not occurred. The policy also covers operating expenses, like electricity, that continue even though business activities have come to a temporary halt.
2. Make sure the policy limits are sufficient to cover your company for more than a few days. After a major disaster, it can take more time than many people anticipate to get the business back on track. There is generally a 48-hour waiting period before business interruption coverage kicks in.
3. The price of the policy is related to the risk of a fire or other disaster damaging your premises. All other things being equal, the price would probably be higher for a restaurant than a real estate agency, for example, because of the greater risk of fire. Also, a real estate agency can more easily operate out of another location.

Extra expense insurance

Extra expense insurance reimburses your company for a reasonable sum of money that it spends, over and above normal operating expenses, to avoid having to shut down during the restoration period. Usually, extra expenses will be paid if they help to decrease business interruption costs. In some instances, extra expense insurance alone may provide sufficient coverage, without the purchase of business interruption insurance.