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Harris
County homeowners who suffered flood damage want one thing: to
quickly get their lives back to normal.
But
it will take a long while before they'll again be in a clean,
dry home.
And
the mess may raise difficult insurance issues. The cost of
replacing damaged possessions and home repairs could be a big
problem for those without flood insurance.
While
rain driven into a home by high winds is covered by homeowners
insurance, the damage caused by water rising from a nearby
bayou is not.
That
sort of loss can only be covered by flood insurance, and this
storm has hit many homes in places where the owners never
expected flooding.
"We
are seeing a lot of people who do not have flood insurance,
unfortunately," said Jerry Johns, president of the
Southwestern Insurance Information Institute, an industry
group.
Water
that comes into a home and causes damage is not covered by a
standard homeowners policy, Johns noted. Those policies only
cover water damage by "wind driven rain," and
Allison didn't bring the damaging winds that come with a
hurricane.
Typically,
homeowners buy their flood insurance through their local
homeowner insurance agent. If you don't have flood insurance
it's too late for it to help this time around. The underwriter
of all flood insurance is the National Flood Insurance
Program, administered by the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA), which won't sell this coverage at a time when
the danger of flooding is high.
Automobiles
are covered for flood damage if a driver has comprehensive
auto insurance coverage, said Stacie Ross, spokeswoman for
State Farm Insurance.
While
no one can make it right again today, those with flood damage
can start immediately. They should call their agent to find
out what their coverage can do, pull up their carpet, and make
a damaged property list.
Since
Allison has been declared a disaster, residents may be
entitled to federal financial assistance. This could entitle
victims to low-interest loans and grants.
For
flooded homeowners who are insured there are some do's and
dont's.
"The
first thing to do is call your agent, to let them know your
house has suffered flood damage," said Ross.
"For
people who are having trouble reaching their agents, because
so many people are in need, we've activated a 1-800 number
(800-SFCLAIM)." Ross said.
Other
insurance companies also are offering 1-800 numbers.
Ross
had other tips for flood insurance policyholders:
If
the carpet is soaked, it is OK to pull it up, Ross said.
"In
fact, it's the right thing to do, because it will help you dry
out your home." You can even throw out the carpet, Ross
said, but save a piece of it to show your agent.
"Ventilating
your home is so important," Ross said. "You can't
get a good estimate of the damage until it's dry." She
suggested homeowners call a cleaning service to expedite the
drying process.
Make
an inventory list and try to find all your receipts, Ross
said, and don't throw away large-ticket items before the
adjuster arrives to look them over.
While
temporary repairs are a good idea -- particularly if they
prevent further damage -- do not make the final repairs until
your adjuster has seen the damage.
"It
is, however, a good idea to have service people come out to
your home and offer estimates even before the adjuster
arrives," she said.
Homeowners
should understand that claims adjusters may be slow to arrive,
Johns said, because so many claims are expected, and it is
very difficult to get around.
Johns
said that many insurance companies will be bringing in
catastrophe teams. State Farm, for example, will bring in
about 300 additional representatives from around the country.
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HoustonChronicle.com
-- http://www.HoustonChronicle.com | Section: Local & State
Toll-free
numbers for finding insurers
Houston
Chronicle - June 11, 2001, 9:49PM
Insurer
toll free numbers
Insurer
Phone
.
Allstate 800-547-8676
American
National Property & Casualty
800-770-2958
Chubb
800-252-4670
Farmers
Insurance
888-344-4343
Fireman's
Fund 888-347-3428
Geico
800-841-3000
Germania
800-392-2202
Liberty
Mutual Insurance
800-958-8844
National
Lloyds
800-749-6419, ext. 241
Nationwide
Insurance
800-421-3535
Progressive
800-274-4499
State
Farm Insurance
800-732-5246
Texas
Farm Bureau
800-772-6535
USAA
800-531-8222
Source:
Southwestern Insurance Information Service
Online
Federal Emergency
Management Agency National Flood Insurance Program:
www.fema.gov/nfip.
Texas Department of
Insurance: www.tdi.state.tx.us. |
