3 Insurance Rules After Disaster Hits Your Home

I. Avoiding Insurance Disaster.

It seems like whenever catastrophe strikes, insurance problems rear their ugly head. It might be your home isn't sufficiently covered to pay for repairing the damage. Or, you might be the victim of unfair adjusting practices, such as a carrier that would rather fight than pay its fair share.

In a disaster such as fire, flood or earthquake, you might not even know who your insurance company is, since your policies and other important documents may well be cold ash or soggy trash.

If you suffer a disaster and have to make a claim on your insurance, keep these three principles in mind:

II. Get a Copy of Your Policy and read It.

Insurance always begins with a written contract. So, the first thing that needs to be done when getting ready to make a claim is to get a copy of every policy that might possibly provide coverage for your damaged property and read them all from front to back.

If you don't have the policy forms because they were lost, destroyed or are otherwise unavailable, you'll have to get policy reconstructions from the insurance company. Requests can be made to your agent or directly to the insurance company's policy services department. If you don't remember who your insurance company is, you'll need to do a little detective work. Start with your checking account. A review of your banking records may well lead you to every insurer that might provide coverage for the damaged property.

III. Check your coverages.

Your insurance policy provides coverage for certain types of loss and excludes coverage for others. That's why it's important to get a copy of the contract right at the beginning.

One issue that frequently arises following a catastrophic loss is the damaged property was not adequately insured in the first place. Where an agent or broker provided you with professional advice on the appropriate coverage or bound coverage based upon their own professional expertise, there may be a claim for professional negligence where the property isn't properly protected.

IV. Watch out for Time Limits

Property insurance contracts generally have their own time limits, called "statute of limitations," built in, and the period in which to file suit to enforce the contract is generally less than the period that applies to a plain vanilla written contract.

When in doubt, consult a legal professional about what time limits will apply to your claim. Be proactive. Once you have a loss, there is a clock ticking somewhere that might limit your ability to recover policy benefits.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/586228

Every Second Counts In a Home Fire!

In a typical home fire, you may have as little as one to two minutes to escape safely from the time the smoke alarm sounds.

This video is intended to convey safety messages in a light-hearted entertaining way. It is not intended for children. (Adults should play an important role in reinforcing safety messages for children.) This video highlights critical elements of home escape planning and practice that can ensure a safe escape, as well as missteps that waste precious time and jeopardize safety.

Emergency Restoration Checklist

Here is a helpful checklist to minimize damage to your property following a fire, flood, storm or other disaster event.

• Alert your insurance company immediately. Your insurance agent is your partner during this stressful time. He/she will guide you through the claims and clean-up process.
• Take photos of the damage prior to the property being cleaned-up, boarded-up or demolished. Having photographic documentation of the damage could be helpful for insurance purposes.
• Determine whether your house or place of business is structurally safe. If not, you will need to evacuate the facility and make alternate arrangements.
• Shut down the electrical and water supply and close the main gas valve, after the threat of physical danger has passed. These steps will help you avoid further damage, so it is important to know in advance where these important systems are located.
• Protect and secure property assets and/or personal belongings.
  • Relocate all valuables to a safe and dry place.
  • If there is standing water, try to remove as much of it to the outdoors as possible and run the air conditioning, a dehumidifier or a fan to help dry out the area. WARNING: Standing water will begin to produce dangerous mold within 48 hours, making it imperative to remove all standing water.
  • If conditions allow, cover broken windows and doors as well as damaged walls and roof areas with plywood or plastic sheeting to prevent additional moisture entry and to protect the property from the elements.
• Inspect the property thoroughly. Your observations and comments will help speed up the restoration process when professional help arrives.
• Determine if there are roof shingles missing or if there is any damage to your home's exterior, including to the gutters, windows, siding, chimneys, etc.
  • Inspect the property for any signs of water infiltration.
  • Determine if the insulation is wet or damaged. Be sure to check the insulation around your windows and doors and in your attic, crawl spaces and walls.
  • Look closely to verify that your foundation walls are intact.

In most cases your insurance agent will make clean-up/restoration contractor recommendations. However, in some situations, you may be advised to hire a restoration company of your own choosing. The following are tips for hiring the best professional restoration company:

• Look for a professional restoration company that specializes in working with property owners after a fire, flood, storm or other disaster. These companies are a better choice than general contracting companies that may offer restoration services.
• Be sure that the company you choose is licensed, bonded and insured in the state where the work will be performed.
• Do not sign a contract unless the job is described in detail including what will be done, a price estimate and what materials/tools will be used.
• Ask for a list of references. Also, look at before and after pictures of the company's work.
• Do not hire a company that requires a larger than normal deposit in order to start work.

The most effective way to recover from a fire, flood, storm or other disastrous event is to take action quickly Carefully following the Emergency Restoration checklist will help the disaster relief experts restore your home and property to normal as quickly as possible.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Nemshick

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1652809

Water Damage Clean Up - Not Just From Storms

When most people think of water damage in a home or business, scenes of area-wide flooding showing continuously on 24-hour news channels is likely to come to mind. But actually, a small percentage of water damage losses are related to storms or flooding.

It's true that these losses get more publicity because they happen in bunches and tend to be more severe, but it is much more likely that if you suffer a water damage loss it will be from a plumbing problem. That's the good news, because there is nothing you can do to prevent storms, and little you can do to prevent storm damage, but there are things you can do to prevent water damage from plumbing problems.

Water Damage from Plumbing Mishaps

The most severe incidents usually occur in a home or business when there is a water line break and no one is there. This is a common occurrence at businesses, where a broken water supply line can spew out water all night or all weekend before it is discovered. The culprits include: blown fittings on water heaters located above the office areas; automatic coffee machines that malfunction and continue filling and overflowing the pot all night; broken lines to a sink, toilet, or ice maker; malfunctioning fire sprinkler systems; and even water main breaks in the ceiling.

In homes, similar problems with supply lines are common, but other common occurrences in are: the hot or cold water hose to the washing machine rupturing; dishwashers and washing machines continuing to fill and overflow when the float ball malfunctions; toilets that are flushed, stop up and continue to run; and bathtubs that are being filled and are forgotten.

Preventive Measures

As you can see from all of these examples, the easiest thing you can do to limit or prevent water damage in your home or business is to turn off the main water line when you will be away for an extended time. Some of worst days for water damage losses are right after major holidays or popular vacation times when people are returning home. That's when they discover that water has been leaking for who knows how long, and when the damage is severe and the cleanup and repairs extensive. How long you are willing to be gone without turning off the water to your home or business depends on how big of a risk you are willing to take.

But even simpler and smaller steps than turning off the water main to your home can be taken to avoid common water damage situations. For instance, don't leave your home with the dishwasher or washing machine running, or with a toilet that hasn't stopped running. Also, if you are going to be gone for more than a day, at least turn off the hot and cold water to your washing machine. That in itself will eliminate a common cause of water damage.

And one last thing, if the water service to your home is ever interrupted, make sure to turn off every faucet and shower that was on when the water went off. Severe water damage can occur when faucets and showers are inadvertently left on and the water service is restored while the homeowner is gone. So you can see that many water damage losses, and the grief that goes with them, are very preventable if you are willing to take a few simple precautions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_A_Selter

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6183305

Bay Area Counties Brace For Potential PG&E Power Shutoffs

Residents in seven out of the nine Bay Area counties are bracing for potential preemptive power shutoffs by PG&E, with strong winds and high fire danger in the forecast. Jackie Ward reports. (10/8/19)

How to Make an Emergency Kit for Your Pet

Preparing a pet emergency kit can help you evacuate quickly with the supplies you will need. Watch this video to see what to include in your kit

Alltek Restoration's Commitment and Dedication to Client's Satisfaction is Second to None

https://alltekrestoration.net/

You can expect a professional staff when working with Alltek Restoration, Inc. We value and expect quality, efficiency, punctuality, cleanliness and courtesy from our team. Our commitment and dedication to our client's satisfaction is second to none.

• Quality work, Integrity, and Commitment
• Prompt completion and timeline.
• Detailed estimates upon invitation to bid.
• Explanation of contract and specification

Alltek has established successful working relationships with qualified and competent professionals, and subcontractors who share our customer oriented philosophy.

Our Guarantee: We warranty all work that is done with your project whether we ourselves do the work or our subcontractors do the work.

Choosing the right contractor is crucial for any project to be successful. We specialize in Emergency Services, Contents, Restoration, and Reconstruction. You can rest knowing that your project's interest is at the top of our concerns. Alltek is committed to providing our clients with the highest quality work and exceptional customer service, while assuring you of a well executed plan to complete your project. You and everyone involved in your project will feel confident we are leading the way.

OUR ESTIMATES

Xactware® is recognized in the claims industry and used by many insurance providers. All of our restoration scopes and reconstruction estimates are generated using the Xactimate estimating software or Xactcontents for personal property.

With our estimating staff’s knowledge, combined with the power of Xactimate, our estimates indicate exact quantities and materials & labor. This is accompanied with a clear description of work to be performed and graphical reference providing you with a clear concise scope of work that Alltek will perform on your project.

PROPERTY RESTORATION | STRUCTURE RECONSTRUCTION

There are many aspects to your claim, that our trained and expert staff will guide you through the process. We provide you with a single claim solution from start to finish. Once you choose Alltek Restoration, Inc. you will have one point of contact for your entire claim. No call centers. You will never be a claim number.

Alltek performs both residential and commercial restoration for insurance claim repairs for both small and large loss. For all properties we provide complete restoration services for the following loss categories:

Fire Damage, Water Damage, Smoke Damage, Storm Damage, Vandalism, Vehicle and more.

BOARD UP SERVICES

Are very common requirements after storm or fire loss. The damages caused by the actual fire and tactics use to extinguish can leave your property with broken or blown out windows, burnt doors or broken doors, ventilation holes in roofs, and structural deficiencies all of which leaves the property open to accessible, in distress, and insecure. We will secure all loss related openings with temporary measures securing the property and temporary structural repairs to help prevent further damages.

Contact our office in Antioch, CA, at 925-732-7208 to speak with one of our construction designers about your upcoming project.

A Guide to Understanding Water Damage Restoration

Whether it is after a fire, burst pipes, or the result of a flood, your home must be restored from all the destruction caused by moisture. Water damage restoration will repair the house and make it safe to live in again. There are several steps to repairing your property after this type of devastation.

Assessing the Damage

The first step to repairing your home after any type of flooding is the loss assessment. This procedure is how the technicians know exactly what to do in order to repair your home. Technicians are required to work with insurance companies to determine property's injuries. Only then can a plan be devised on how to go about refurbishing it.

During the assessment, the water damage restoration company will assign one of three categories. Each of these categories signifies a different manner in which the devastation is handled and reversed. These categories are:

Category One: This is water without any contaminants such as urine or feces. The liquid comes from a clean source such as pipes or sinks. It may also come from toilets, as long as it was free of contaminants.

Category Two: The liquid comes from dishwashers, washing machines, or toilets with urine and has some minor contamination.

Category Three: The impairments are caused by an unsanitary source such as flooding, toilets with fecal matter, sewage lines, or has been standing for some time and may contain microbes.

Drying and Decontaminating the Area

Once a category has been set, the water damage restoration team can start the process of drying out the area. If the damage has been categorized as a two or a three, the area must also be decontaminated in order for the area to be livable again. It is important to understand that an entire house may not contain contaminated liquid. In some cases, it is only specific pockets of the space that must be decontaminated.

If the area is small and has little moisture absorbed into the surrounding materials, the process is much quicker. Dehumidifiers and blowers may be all that is required to restore the space to its natural state. However, a larger area with carpet or one that has deep saturation may require more equipment such as scrubbers and subfloor drying devices.

Finishing the Job

Of course, during the process, you should expect the technicians to be available on site during the duration. They must constantly monitor the equipment to ensure that the area is drying evenly. They should also verify that the entire site is completely dry before removing the dryers. The company should also be observing the area to spot any other problems that may arise once the water has been removed.

Water damage restoration is not something anyone wants to go through. However, with the right company and the proper equipment, your home can be restored to its former glory. When looking for the right group to handle the job, make sure you do your homework. Look at reviews and check out the Better Business Bureau to see if the business is accredited or has any outstanding complaints.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9120270

Why Restoration Services Should Be Done Immediately

Hiring a restoration service as soon as you possibly can after your home has been damaged can be important for many different reasons. It could mean the difference between keeping your house and not keeping it. You shouldn't let water or fire damage sit for too long for safety reasons for your health, and because the integrity of the home can suffer greatly shortly after the damage has been left. Water damage should especially be treated immediately after it occurs because of the complications that arise quickly after a flood has happened.

If you leave water to sit in your home, it can ruin the wood, foundation, structure, and livability of your home in a hurry. Drywall is easily ruined by water damage, so getting it removed and replaced to prevent the spread of dampness and mold is very important. Mold can ruin a home and be very unhealthy to breathe on a day-to-day basis, so this is the main reason why when you have water damage that you should get it fixed immediately.

Fire damage and smoke damage can be very serious to a home. As soon as you can, you should call a restoration service to assess the damage that has been done, and get them to fix it as soon as you can. You shouldn't leave your home damaged after any event if you want your house to maintain its integrity. Time is really the most important thing when it comes to fire and water damage to your home. Even after a fire is put out, or water is removed, it can still be damaging your house in ways that you cannot see, so be sure to get things fixed and back to normal in a timely manner.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Paul_A_Buchanan/255329

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5091119

4 Steps To Help Recover Immediately After A Home Fire

Watch and learn four steps from the American Red Cross to help recover immediately after a home fire.