Over the past few weeks, residents in the Florida Panhandle area have been hit by the devastating storm Hurricane Michael. For some time to come, many of these residents will be submitting claims for hurricane damage insurance coverage.

According to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, approximately 38,000 claims have already been submitted for hurricane damage insurance coverage with approximately $5.7 million already paid out to those claims.

Due to the inevitable wave of hurricane damage insurance coverage claims, Governor Rick Scott has recently ordered emergency changes to insurance rules to help with Hurricane Michael recovery.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, policyholders will have an extra 90 days to submit claims for hurricane damage, with insurance companies prohibited from canceling or failing to renew homeowners insurance policies for 90 days on such claims.

Overview of Hurricane Damage Insurance Coverage

According to USAA spokesperson Rich Johnson, there have been 19,000 claims for hurricane damage insurance coverage submitted to the insurer with many more likely to come. USAA has approximately 65,000 policyholders in Florida and is a primary insurance company for military families. Currently, USAA has three mobile claim centers throughout the Panhandle region.

The state run insurance company Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, an insurer of last resort for policyholders, counted just over 1,100 claims. However, the company says it expects claims are likely to increase to 12,000. Citizens reports two mobile claim units in the Panhandle area.

According to Citizens, most of the claims have been for wind damage and half of the claims were filed by mobile home owners. The number of claims for hurricane damage insurance coverage is also being paid for by the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe fund, which helps provide money for private insurance companies to help with customer claims.

According to a spokesperson for the fund, it currently consists of $16.2 billion in reserves and has a capacity for up to$17 billion.

Making a Hurricane Damage Insurance Coverage Claim

Homeowners in the Panhandle area who file for hurricane damage insurance coverage can take a number of steps to maximize their chances including:

• Contacting the insurance company as soon as possible to notify them as their property damage or losses, including the extent of the damage because insurance adjusters will soon visit the damaged property. They should also write down their claim number, which will make communication much easier.
• Taking photographs and video footage of the property damage.
• Making a list of any missing or destroyed items, including the purchase price and approximated value of each item. In this process, it helps to consolidate receipts, which can be shown to the insurance adjuster.
• Taking steps to prevent further damage, such as cover any holes with a tarp and board up any broken windows. Do not make any permanent repairs, and do not throw away any damaged property so it can be assessed by the insurance company. If the town of residence is requiring that they dispose of the items, then they photograph or video the items.
• Keeping all hurricane related expense receipts related to the property damage, including loss of business or living expenses.
• Keeping a record of all contact with their insurance company.
• Retaining all relevant paperwork sent by the insurance company.
• Getting bids for permanent repairs for the property.