SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The second of two storms ravaging the Capital region in the last week took its toll on residents and business owners alike.
Insurance experts suggest checking your policy to be fully prepared in the event of an emergency. Omar Ochoa is a lawyer specializing in insurance claims; he said most people assume they are fully covered when they aren’t.
He suggests people catalog their belongings now before it’s too late.
“Catalog your personal property, jewelry, electronics, furniture, clothes, anything that you could lose in a disaster situation,” he said. “That includes knowing how old your roof is, for example, because the age of the roof could affect how much you recover.”
Ochoa said while it may be tempting to immediately begin cleaning up, make sure your agent sees your damaged belongings first.
“Don't throw those in the trash prior to an insurance adjuster looking at them, keep them in a box, keep them somewhere where they can be physically inspected, so that you can get coverage for those items,” he said.
Insurance can replace things like clothes, furniture, or electronics that get damaged in disasters or emergencies.
He said people take a close look at their current policies so there’s no surprise in what isn’t covered when it’s needed.
Find out if you have a replacement cost value policy or an actual cost value policy.
A replacement cost value policy covers 100% of costs, minus your deductible for the repairs. An actual cost-value policy will include a deduction for the age of your property.
Other resources for homeowners in natural disasters can be found through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration Disaster Program.
