Filing insurance claims after disaster

Residents who have insurance on their homes and property will need to file claims through their insurance companies.

The North Carolina Department of Insurance has a website (www.ncdoi.gov/consumers/disaster/how-deal-aftermath-disaster) with information for what residents should do after a disaster strikes. Residents can also call the state insurance department at 855-408-1212, Monday through Friday for help.

N.C. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey said in an emailed statement that representatives from his department are on the ground in western North Carolina and will be in the region for the next three weeks to help with insurance claims and other needs.

The state insurance department says affected residents should do the following:

Contact your primary homeowners insurance agent or companyMake a list of the damages and take clear pictures before you make any repairs, even temporary onesStop ongoing damage. For example, if there is a hole in your roof, put a tarp over it.Keep receipts for anything you purchase to make temporary repairs. Do not make permanent repairs until you talk with your insurance company.If you can't live in your home, check with your insurance company to see if they will reimburse you for expenses like a hotel.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners also has a guide for what to do after a disaster strikes, including information on reporting property damage, what to do when working with an insurance adjuster, and how to avoid insurance fraud. That can be found at content.naic.org/sites/default/files/publication-post-disaster-claims-guide.pdf.

Ben McNeely has spent his journalism career at local North Carolina newspapers, and as a political producer at Spectrum News 1. He currently serves as editorial advisor for student media at North Carolina State University.