THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 6, 1996 TAG: 9602060273
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TOM SHEAN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 87 lines
The volume of insurance claims filed in Hampton Roads from weekend storm damage was relatively light Monday.
But insurers and agents said they were preparing for a surge of claims later this week.
``What we're worried about is damage from frozen pipes, and that will not appear until the ice thaws,'' said Mary Beth Cramer, a spokeswoman for the State Farm regional office in Charlottesville.
What do you tell your insurance company if a pipe breaks or a damaged tree limb finally snaps and damages your house?
Here are some of the common questions that insurers are fielding around Hampton Roads, although so far the workload has been slight.
In Virginia Beach, the only commercial-insurance claim that Kellam-Eaton-Huey Insurance Agency Inc. received Monday involved a patio covering damaged by a fallen tree branch, said Mary Linville, an agent.
``That doesn't sound too severe,'' she said.
Most of the calls she received came from homeowners who wondered if their policies would cover the cost of spending a night in a motel after their homes lost electricity. Their lodging costs won't be covered, Linville said.
Alex H. Bell II, a Nationwide agent in the Hilltop section of Virginia Beach, said his office received only two or three claims Monday.
At the USAA regional headquarters in Norfolk, the number of property-damage claims filed in recent days was triple the normal load, said Mike Barrett, property field manager in the Norfolk office.
``On Friday, we had 75 to 100 claims for ice-associated damage,'' he said. The majority involved ``fairly minor'' damage.
But USAA, like other insurers, expects to handle a greater volume of claims stemming from frozen pipes and water damage, Barrett said.
``They should start rolling in on Wednesday,'' he predicted.
The USAA office already has assigned additional employees to handle the incoming claims. And during the next 24 to 48 hours, the office will decide whether to call on employees from other USAA regional offices to help process local claims, he said.
Insurance companies and local agents offered some answers to common questions about filing storm-related claims.
Who should I contact to file a claim?
Insurers that sell their policies through agents advised policyholders to contact their agents directly. Insurers like USAA that deal directly with policyholders said their customers should call the 800 telephone numbers designated for claims.
If some of my household belongings were damaged by the recent storm, what kinds of records will I need to document my claim?
Policyholders should have an inventory of their belongings, along with receipts or other records that would indicate their value. Insurance companies recommend that policyholders take photographs or videotapes of their belongings to document any claims they may have to file.
``The burden of proof lies with the insured,'' said Linville of Kellam-Eaton-Huey Insurance Agency.
If my house has been damaged by a fallen tree or tree limb, should I move it before a claims adjuster arrives?
Do what is necessary to protect your family from injury and your house from additional damage, said State Farm's Cramer in Charlottesville. That includes having someone make temporary repairs to a damaged roof. Save the receipts to be reimbursed by the insurance company.
If a tree fell in my yard but didn't strike my house, will I be reimbursed for the cost of removing it?
No. Most homeowner policies cover the cost of removing a tree only if it damaged the house.
A tree in my neighbor's yard fell and damaged my roof. Whose policy will cover the cost of repairs?
Your policy. In rare cases, your insurance company may seek to recover the cost of repairs from your neighbor's insurer, said Cramer of State Farm.
My power was out, so my family spent the night in a motel. Will I be reimbursed for the cost?
In most cases, no. Homeowners' insurance policies usually limit payments of living costs to instances where the damage makes a house unlivable.
If my basement is flooded by melting snow and ice, will my regular homeowner policy cover the cost of repairs and replacing damaged goods?
No. That probably would be considered flood damage and would be covered only by a flood-insurance policy, said Michael Erwin, a spokesman for the Insurance Information Institute, a Washington-based trade organization.
However, water damage that resulted from ice-filled rain gutters would be covered, he said.
KEYWORDS: WINTER STORM DAMAGE INSURANCE by CNB