If you’re a homeowner in Florida, the likelihood of dealing with a severe storm is always a possibility. Recently, Cape Coral, FL was one of the heavily impacted areas due to a storm. Kirsten Welborn, a homeowner and an insurance agent at Lane Insurance, was in one of the evacuation zones and had to move to her sister’s home in North Fort Myers during the storm. She experienced first-hand the devastating effects of the storm, including power lines everywhere, cars left running, and semi-trucks turned over.
As an insurance agent, Kirsten has been in the insurance industry for 14 years and has seen many storms. However, she never expected this storm to be so severe and wants to educate homeowners on how to handle the insurance claim process.
Filing a Claim:
If you’re a homeowner and you need to file a claim, there are two ways to do so:
- Call your insurance carrier
- File the claim online
Kirsten recommends filing the claim online because you can check the status of the claim yourself, without having to wait on hold with carriers or your agency. Most insurance carriers have an app that you can use, which will provide you with the direct numbers of who you need to get in contact with if you have any questions.
Appealing or Denying a Claim:
If your claim is denied or you want to appeal the decision, you will need to get in touch with your insurance carrier and follow their specific appeals process.
Making Repairs:
Once you receive the insurance proceeds, if you’re going to be staying in the home and not selling it, you will need to make the repairs. If you don’t make the repairs, your insurance policy may be canceled. The insurance carrier will consider your home to be a higher risk if you have roof damage and don’t make repairs, especially with the rainy season coming.
In conclusion, dealing with a storm and the insurance claim process can be overwhelming, but it’s important to know how to handle it. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to Kirsten Welborn from Lane Insurance or your insurance carrier.
