Your Home is Flooded – Now What?

You watched the weather and heeded the warning to evacuate your home due to ongoing rains and rising water in your neighborhood. Once the wet weather subsides and you are finally allowed to return to your home, you are met with the type of devastation that you feared. It’s your worst nightmare as a homeowner. Your house has been flooded with water.

Now what?

If you have flood insurance, here are the steps you need to take in the next 24 hours to help you file a claim.

Contact Your Insurance Agent and FEMA

Call your insurance agent immediately when it’s safe to return to your home.  If you need help finding your insurance carrier, call the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Call Center at 1-800-427-4661.

Your agent will begin the claims process through the NFIP and schedule time for an adjuster to come to your home. You can ask if it’s possible to get an advance payment to help you start recovering. Depending on your policy, once you provide picture and video documentation, you may be able to receive up to $20,000 before the insurance adjuster even inspects your property. Once contacted, an insurance adjuster should be in touch within a few days of starting your claim.

We also recommend calling the Federal Emergency Management Agency at 1-800-621-3362 to see if free aid is available to you. If there is a Presidential Disaster Declaration, you can file for FEMA assistance, which can help with things like temporary housing.

Assess the Damage

Before entering your home, check for any visible structural damage to the exterior. Look for warping, cracking in your foundation, cracks, or holes. Look for any damage that may have occurred to water, gas, electric, and sewer lines and contact the appropriate utility company. Turn off your home’s water and electric to protect from any potential mixing of standing water and electricity.

Take Pictures and Make an Inventory

Grab your smartphone and snap pictures or shoot video of any damage externally and internally of your home before you attempt to move debris or make repairs. Additionally, the insurance adjuster may need to inspect your property in its entirety in order to provide a complete estimate.

If a lot of your belongings are soaked or ruined, you should save it for the adjuster to inspect. Start an inventory with a list of the damaged items and photograph of each item. For appliances and electronics, take a photo of the make, model, and serial number for the adjuster. Note on the inventory list whether you have receipts for your personal property items–they are helpful but not required–and the approximate age of the item.

If you must pull-up carpeting or padding that’s soaked, it’s a good idea to save a 2-foot square piece of each for the adjuster to inspect. The same goes for curtains and wallpaper. Be sure to remove any items that could be detrimental to your health, like spoiled food or moldy pillows, but only after you take photos.

NFIP policyholders must follow the guidelines of their flood policy when cleaning up. Read the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection Agency’s Homeowners’ and Renters’ Guide to Mold Cleanup After Disasters. It’s your responsibility to minimize the spread and growth of mold.

Make sure your home is protected from additional damage and document it. Cover damaged roofs with tarps and board up any broken windows.

Meet with Your Insurance Adjuster and Review Their Report

When your insurance adjuster arrives, ask for official documentation (driver’s license and company ID or Flood Control Number [FCN card]) to ensure they are from your insurance company. The adjuster should provide contact information. He or she will work with you to submit an accurate estimate of your flood loss and explain the NFIP Flood Claims Process. Be sure to communicate any deadlines you need to meet in order to receive the full benefit of your coverage.

Once your property has been inspected, the adjuster should provide information about what will happen next. Be sure to provide them your current mailing address and phone number if you are displaced. Keep in mind that the insurance carrier, not the adjuster, has the authority to approve your claim.

Next, you will receive a package from the NFIP with the adjuster’s report and a check made out to you or your mortgage company. Carefully review the report before depositing the check. If you are unsatisfied with your claim determination, the NFIP offers a no-cost appeals process. If you are denied all or part of your claim, or would like to request an additional payment, review FEMA’s options to make sure you receive the full amount due under your policy.

What Doesn’t Flood Insurance Cover?

An NFIP policy does not cover temporary housing, general clean-up of your home’s yard or property, or damage to plants and landscaping. It also does not cover spoiled food due to a power outage, but it will cover food that was spoiled because flood waters damaged your freezer or fridge. Flood insurance is capped at $250,000 per building and $100,000 for contents, though some policies have lower limits.

Beware of Fraud

Unfortunately, scammers like to strike after a natural disaster. Don’t believe automated calls saying your flood insurance has lapsed and must be paid immediately. Insurance companies will warn you through the mail 30, 60 or 90 days before your policy expires. Don’t provide upfront payment to help claim services, benefits, or get loans. Report fraud to the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs at (615) 741-4737 or www.tn.gov/consumer.

FEMA Infographic: https://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1537381464295-e86961e17ef6cc9076f2c2679be7d3d8/6_Enhanced_Claims_Process_Evergreen_508_3.pdf