Catastrophic Events and Major Losses

What you can expect from us

We actively monitor major fires, windstorms, hailstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and other natural and unnatural events across the country daily. In the event our policyholders are affected by a significant event, our Catastrophe Response Team may be dispatched to the area to assist.

The team regularly checks on customers while they are in the area, even if the customer has not reported a claim. If you are in a disaster area, don’t be surprised to find a team member knocking on your door or calling you to check in shortly after an event.

We often use satellite imagery and drone technology to conduct a remote inspection of your home. These new tools have greatly increased our capacity to quickly and accurately assess damage to your home after a major event.

What to do if there is major damage

Be safe. The first thing to do is to get yourself and your fellow residents to safety. Your safety should always be the top priority

Notify us of the damages and mitigate them when and if it safe to do so. Once you are out of danger, you should promptly notify us of the damage and do your best to mitigate it to prevent further damage.

For example, in the case of water damage due to a burst pipe, you should shut off the water source, remove the water, and dry out the area to prevent further damage. Here are nine steps to take if a burst pipe floods your home.

While you may be able to address the issues yourself, you may need professional damage mitigation services. There are damage mitigation companies nationwide that can assist with emergency services such as water cleanup, fire remediation, or boarding up a structure damaged by a fallen tree.

We have staff available 24/7 to assist you with immediate, emergency needs. We can help by contacting a mitigation company on your behalf or setting you up with temporary accommodations if your home is no longer inhabitable. We can also guide you through the claims process and advise you on what NOT to do.

Document the damage. Make sure to document all damage to your property. Photograph the damage prior to making emergency repairs as the photographs may be the only available documentation to show what the property looked like prior to the repairs.

Make sure to keep all receipts associated with your claim. Many of the costs you incur may be reimbursable if they are related to preventing further damage to your home or were additional expenses you incurred due to a covered loss,  such as renting temporary living quarters if your home is uninhabitable.

These four claim tips for homeowners will help you prepare.

Retain any potential cause of loss. Possible causes of include the ignition source of a fire, such as an old power strip, or a plumbing supply line that failed and caused water damage. The goal is to leave the scene unspoiled for investigators; removing evidence of a loss can adversely effect coverage for your claim. It can also limit our ability to recover in the event your loss is due the fault of another party.

Contacting our Claims Department directly at 800.227.2757 and asking for assistance is the best way to ensure you do not accidentally compromise our ability to conduct a thorough and prompt investigation.

Tips and resources

Use these four tips to make your home insurance claim go smoothly. From leveraging technology to knowing what kind of expenses you should keep track of for your claim, these tips can make a big difference if you have to file a claim for damage or loss to your home or property.

Make a disaster plan. If you don’t have one in place, use our guidelines and list of resources to get started.