My living room is flooded! Now what?

 

 

Insurance is one of the few things that you buy and hope you never need to use. When damage to your property occurs, it is understandably upsetting. From theft to water damage to hurricane and storm damage, the best way to prepare for these situations is to familiarize yourself with the claims process ahead of time. As always, consult your agent now to determine what is covered in your policy before an event occurs.

 

The claims process…What to do when damage has occurred.

 

1.      Call your agent to report the claim if it is during business hours. They can assist you with filing your claim. If you are a customer of Ruggeri Insurance Agency, we have all our company claims phone numbers listed on our website along with valuable information to help you prepare before a claim occurs.   www.ruggeriinsurance.com/resources

2.      The claims agent from your insurance company will take your information or direct you to an emergency service provider who will respond to stop further damage or begin the necessary repairs.

3.      Do everything that is safely within your capability to stop the damage from continuing while waiting for professional assistance from a plumber, Servepro, etc.  

4.      A claims agent will follow up with you soon after to determine if you need to be relocated because of the damage. You may need another place to stay due to the condition of your home.

5.      Document everything. Take photos or videos of the damage. Keep receipts of meals, hotels and a list of contacts. You may be reimbursed for these expenses in accordance with your policy. (Review your policy ahead of time to see what is covered.)

6.      A claims representative or field representative will assess damages and assist you you with beginning the repairs to your home or property.

7.      Claims are not considered “closed” unless the company and you decide that everything has been repaired to your satisfaction.

 

Should you have any questions, please contact Ruggeri Insurance Agency at (941)966-5900. We are here to assist you in understanding this process before and during a loss.

Disclaimer:
All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.
This policy is subject to change at anytime.

 

 

5 Things You Need to Know About SINKHOLES

‘Sinkhole’ is a scary word. The recent depictions on the news of a man-eating geological phenomenon have caused homeowners to ask serious questions about what sinkholes are, and how homes and families can be protected. We want to help by shedding some light on this important topic…

1.       What are sinkholes? Sinkholes are formed primarily because of a region’s geology.  Under the surface of the state is porous limestone which holds vast amounts of water in underground aquifers.  Groundwater flows through and erodes the limestone. The erosion forms caves, springs, and unfortunately, large empty pockets underground. A sinkhole is what happens when that pocket collapses.

 

2.       How do they form? The water in the aquifers exerts pressure on the limestone to help hold up the clay, silt and sand which makes up Florida’s soil.  Sinkholes appear when that layer of surface material caves in. It can happen two ways:  water is removed from the cavities by either pumping it out or by drought, OR a heavy load on the ground (such as a heavy downpour or a flood) causes it to collapse. Either way, the collapse can swallow up not only property, but people as well, as we all witnessed last week.

 

3.       The problem isn’t going away… Florida’s population is expected to reach 20 million residents by 2015 and the increase is causing more ground water extraction to handle a thirsty public. In the area from Tampa Bay directly east through Orlando to the Atlantic (known as “Sinkhole Alley) sinkhole claims have tripled in the last decade.  January and February are extremely dangerous due to the fact that during a hard freeze millions of gallons of water are pumped on oranges and strawberries to protect them from freezing.

 

4.       What’s being done to help? Florida is working on the groundwater issue, but political and practical questions may slow any real progress on stopping the draining of the aquifers. 

 

5.       What can you do?  Research the area where you live to determine if you are in a danger zone.  Make sure you review your sinkhole coverage with your insurance agent.  In some cases it will be covered by the policy due to laws in the state of Florida, in others it will only be covered if certain conditions exist.  The short video below is from one of our best companies, +Tower Hill Insurance Group , and further explains the issue.

 If you would like one of our agents to review your policy to be sure your home is protected, you can reach us at (941) 966-5900. www.ruggeriinsurance.com


 

 
Disclaimer:
All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. The owner will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. The owner will not be liable for any losses, injuries, or damages from the display or use of this information.
This policy is subject to change at anytime.