Ronica Shannon
When the shock of surviving a tornado lessens and reality sets in, homeowners may not know where to start when it comes to putting the pieces back together.
Many Madison County homeowners are now in the process of turning in insurance claims on damaged homes, vehicles and other items, which is a process with several steps.
Those without homeowner’s insurance may choose to turn to federal aid provided through FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency).
The Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet Department of Insurance lists several things homeowners should do while waiting for an adjuster to arrive. Some of these precautions include: making sure the home address is visible from the street. If there is no longer a mailbox, paint the insurance company’s name, policy number and temporary address on a piece of plywood, make a list of everything that needs to be shown to the adjuster and take plenty of photos of all damage.
If electrical service has been damaged or otherwise disconnected from the home, schedule an electrical inspection for consultation about the repair work that is needed, the department suggests.
Kentucky’s Attorney General Jack Conway warned homeowners Monday not to fall victim to “storm chasers,” he said.
“My thoughts and prayers are with families who lost loved ones and those who’ve had their homes destroyed by these terrifying storms,” Conway said.
“Those who are victims of these storms should not be victimized again by criminals who are preying on the widespread devastation.”
Common natural disaster scams include outright fraud, shoddy construction, price gouging, charity scams, impersonating officials and loan scams.
Conway is urging consumers to report any incidents of possible fraud by calling the Consumer Hotline at 1-888-432-9257 or by filing a consumer complaint report online at www.ag.ky.gov.
“Madison County is committed to serving the public during this crisis time in an expedient and efficient manner to assist the property owners in the efforts of restoring their property back to a safe and usable structure,” said Duane Curry, Madison County building code administrator.
Any residents with additional concerns about the safety of their home or wish to request additional inspections or consultation, call the Office of Building Inspections at 624-4780 or Curry at 661-0414.
The Office of Building Inspections is located at 321 North Madison Avenue.
Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 624-6608.
Storm recovery steps
• Call your agent
• Report your claim as soon as possible
• When you call, have on hand your insurance agent’s name and address along with your insurance policy number and renewal date
• Be prepared to give: Complete directions to your home, a temporary address and how you can be found and a cell phone number if available
• Be sure to write down: Claim reference numbers, the name of the person you talked to from the insurance company and when you called
• Be sure to ask about: Details about filing a claim, including any deadlines; arrangements for an adjuster to inspect the damage; temporary housing and living expenses if you can’t live in your home; and car rental if your vehicle can’t be driven.
• For more information, call the Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet Department of Insurance at 1-800-595-6053 or visit www.doi.ppr.ky.gov/kentucky.
