Insurance experts: Save your receipts

Agents recommend that people save receipts|

The fires are almost out. Evacuees are moving back into their homes and looking to find out what their insurance covers.

Tuesday, state Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones visited the area making stops in Sonoma and Napa to meet with both victims and insurers.

Last Friday, Jones issued a notice to insurers asking them to expedite their claims procedures and cut red tape to help the victims.

“Victims of these devastating wildfires need all the help we can provide,” said Jones. “I’m asking California insurers to adopt these expedited claims handling procedures to get help to policyholders more quickly. I applaud the California insurers who, in response to our request, immediately agreed to adopt expedited claims-handling procedures and expect more insurers will also agree to these expedited procedures, so fire victims may begin to put their lives back together.”

And apparently, insurance companies are doing just that.

“I haven’t gotten one angry call,” said Christa Granton, an independent agent at Christa Granton Insurance Services in Sonoma.

Anea Kamahele, a State Farm agent in Sonoma, agreed saying her clients have been calm despite the catastrophe.

“This is unprecedented,” Kamahele said. “Nothing like this has happened before. The severity and the cost …”

The one thing policy holders need to remember is keep all your receipts for everything – lodging, food and incidentals.

People who lived in mandatory evacuation zones should be able to be reimbursed for lodging, meals and other expenses they incurred while they were waiting to return. But people who lived in advisory evacuation zones won’t be eligible for lodging and food reimbursement.

“The trigger (for reimbursement) is mandatory evacuation,” Kamahele said. “That’s where you must leave.”

People who lose electricity and gas also won’t be eligible for reimbursement, but a loss of water could trigger a claim. “That’s a safety issue,” Kamahele said.

Smoke and soot damage is covered, but just a smoky odor probably isn’t.

“Although I’ve had clients who are more susceptible to smoke odors,” Granton said. “And the restoration companies have been very good.”

Both agents said they’ve had multiple clients who have lost everything. Kamahele told of a long-time policy holder who walked into her office the first Monday, covered in ash and with burn blisters on the tops of his ears after trying to save his house. “He just wanted to make sure he was covered,” she said.

Since all insurance companies have their own adjusters, Granton warned of using an independent adjuster.

“If somebody isn’t happy with their adjuster, they should call their agent,” she said. “Their agent is their biggest advocate. Independent adjusters typically collect 10 percent to 20 percent off the top – they’re in it for themselves, not the client.”

The California Department of Insurance declared an emergency which allows insurance companies to use out-of-state adjusters to help expedite the claims.

“Companies are flying in adjusters from the East Coast,” Granton said. “With all the disasters and hurricanes this year, they’re running on empty.”

With the housing shortage in the Bay Area, people who were burned out, may have trouble finding a place to live.

“We should be looking at VRBOs, vacation homes and granny units, among other options,” Kamahele said. And she said people could even rent units from relatives and have the relatives get paid.

Insurance Commissioner Jones also directed the insurance department’s law enforcement team to travel to areas hit by fires to educate residents on how to avoid scam artists who prey on vulnerable victims.

The Department of Insurance Consumer hotline is 800-927-4357, or visit insurance.ca.gov for tips and advice.

Email bill.hoban@sonomanews.com.

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