People across Louisiana felt the forces of Hurricane Ida in the fall of 2021, but the storm’s destruction is far from in the past. You may still be facing the task of repairing losses from wind impacts, flooding, fallen trees, and many other challenges. While you attempt to make a recovery and rebuild your life, you could be starting the insurance claims process or waiting on a delayed claim.
If Hurricane Ida impacted your home, you could get help. A storm loss insurance lawyer can help you navigate the claims process and work toward a resolution. For now, here’s what you should know about the storm loss claims process after Hurricane Ida.
Document Everything Related to Your Hurricane Losses
It’s crucial to keep good records immediately after the hurricane and in the weeks and months to follow. Here are a few of the items you should collect as evidence for your claim:
- Photos of damage to your home and property: You may have wanted to immediately start removing debris and cleaning up your property after the hurricane. Hopefully, however, you were able to take pictures or videos before doing so. Your photos should capture any impacts to the inside and outside of the property, including the roof, walls, windows, floors, and garages. If you discover additional structural problems later on after you file a claim, take pictures of these issues as well.
- Keep a list of all physical losses: Inventory everything that the storm impacted. Make a list of all structures and personal items inside the home that were lost or affected. Lost household items could include furniture, clothing, books, and other objects.
- Contractor assessments: If possible, you may want to have a contractor create a report of the impacts to your home or other property. This assessment could offer a more realistic picture of your actual losses. Keep any documentation of a contractors’ report if you have one done.
- Records of your expenses: Once your insurance adjuster says you can begin making repairs, hang onto your receipts. You could even be reimbursed for the cost of alternative living arrangements if you were unable to inhabit your home after the hurricane.
In general, it’s a good idea to hang onto any information that could be relevant to your claim. If you work with a lawyer, they can tell you what evidence to submit with a claim.
Act Promptly to File Your Insurance Claim
Hopefully, you filed your claim soon in the days and weeks following Hurricane Ida – but if you did not, you may still be able to do so. It takes time to move through the pipeline of claims submitted to insurance companies after a storm. When you submit yours sooner, your claim could be addressed earlier.
A hurricane loss insurance attorney can help you understand if you can still file a claim. Also, you could qualify to file a supplemental claim if you’ve submitted an initial claim but have discovered more impacts from the storm since then.
What You Need to File a Claim
You can call your insurance company to initiate a claim. If you don’t know your policy number, the agent may be able to look it up for you.
During the call, be prepared to tell the agent about the damage to your home or property. Let them know if you have photos or videos of the property’s condition to submit. Be sure to get a few important pieces of information from the adjuster as well, such as:
- A claim or reference number
- How long you have to submit your claim
- What’s covered by your policy, including flood damage or hotel stays
- The name and contact details for anyone you speak with
- When you should expect an adjuster to follow up
- Any other information the insurance company requires
The insurance agent will likely ask you to follow up by submitting an inventory list of impacted structures and items lost or affected by the storm. If available, you can also submit receipts for household items to show proof of their value.
An Adjuster Will Assess Your Losses
The adjuster should visit your property within thirty days to inspect it and review your losses, according to Louisiana state law (RS § 22:1892). Once they identify your losses, they should compensate you within 60 days.
If you don’t receive a visit from an insurance adjuster within this timeframe, an attorney can help you follow up with the insurance company.
Keep track of any communication you have with the insurer. Ensure that you confirm any verbal communication with follow-up emails or other written records.
Consider a Hurricane Insurance Lawyer’s Help
Dealing with the insurance claims process after a hurricane can be exhausting, especially when you have other important matters to deal with in your life. You could also be facing problems with your claim that are making it impossible to move forward with your life. If you’re in this situation, an attorney can advocate for you.
A lawyer can:
- Review your insurance policy and explain your coverage
- Tell you whether or not you have supplemental insurance coverages, such as a flood policy
- Work with the insurance company for you, handling all communication
- Build evidence to submit the strongest possible claim
- Work to see that you receive compensation in a timely manner
- Advise you of your rights under the law
Get a Free Case Review From the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine
No matter where you are in the process of submitting your insurance claim, our attorneys can help. If Hurricane Ida damaged your home, we’re ready to support you as you rebuild your property and your life. Our attorneys are proud to have roots in Louisiana, and we know how to get to work to resolve hurricane insurance claims.
Contact us today for your free case review: 1-800-747-3733.
We Can Help.
