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Rocky Mountain Insurance Information
NEWS
6565 South Dayton St. #2400, Greenwood Village, Colorado 80111
Serving Colorado, New Mexico, Utah & Wyoming
Contact: Carole Walker, Executive Director
(303) 790-0216 or 1-800-355-9524
Release Date: Immediately
Topic: Catastrophes
INSURANCE ADJUSTERS RESPOND IN FORCE TO COLORADO WILDFIRES AS ADDITIONAL ADJUSTERS ARRIVE AND EMERGENCY CLAIMS CENTERS OPEN
June 15, 2000 - Most of the large insurance companies have mobilized their national catastrophe teams in response to the property damage caused by wildfires burning out of control in Colorado. Claims adjusters are on scene near the Hi Meadow and Bob Cat Fires to speed up the claims settlement process. The Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association has this update on insurance industry activity, along with advice for homeowners impacted by the fires:
- Residents evacuated from their homes should contact their agents or companies immediately and let them know where they can be reached. As adjusters are allowed into the burned out areas they will want to go in with their policyholders to access the damage. Many companies have set up 24-hour emergency hotlines. Here are some of the larger carriers information numbers: State Farm Insurance: 877-737-5871 Farmers Insurance: 888-344-4343 Allstate: 1-800-54-STORM
- Company claims adjusters, many equipped with laptop computers and portable phones, will start writing checks over the next few days to pay the cost of temporary living expenses for people left homeless by the fires and to begin the rebuilding of damaged homes. Some companies will be opening special claims centers to assist their policyholders. Contact your agent or company if you need additional living expenses while you are out of your home.
- Keep receipts. Out of pocket expenses during a mandatory evacuation are reimbursable under most standard homeowner policies.
- Be prepared to give your agent or insurance representative a description of your damage. Your agent will report the loss immediately to your insurance company or a qualified adjuster who will contact you as soon as possible to inspect the damage. Again, be sure to give your agent a number where you can be reached.
- Take photos of the damaged areas. These will help with your claims process and will assist the adjuster in the investigation.
- Prepare a detailed inventory of all damaged or destroyed personal property. Be sure to make two copies-one for yourself and one for the adjuster. Your list should be as complete as possible, including a description of the items, dates of purchase or approximate age, cost at time of purchase and estimated replacement cost.
- Make whatever temporary repairs you can . Cover broken windows, damaged roofs and walls to prevent further destruction. Save receipts for supplies and materials you purchase. Your company will reimburse you for reasonable expenses in making temporary repairs.
- Secure a detailed estimate for permanent repairs to your home from a reliable contractor and give it to the adjuster. The estimate should contain the proposed repairs, repair costs and replacement prices.
- Serious losses will be given priority . If your home has been destroyed or seriously damaged, your agent will do everything possible to assure that you are given priority.
- The most costly fire in terms of insured losses was the October 1991 Oakland Hills fire which caused $1.7 billion in insured losses (about $2 billion in today's dollars). Catastrophic fires account for 3% of insurance losses. That compares to 33% for hurricanes, 32% for tornadoes and 13% for earthquakes.
HOW CAN I HELP FIREFIGHTERS SAVE MY HOME?
- Make it easy for firefighters to get to your home. Roads need to be wide enough to accommodate fire trucks, and there has to be a place for them to turn around. Driveways and bridges must be strong enough to carry heavy emergency vehicles. Identify at least two ways to and from your house and make sure they're well marked. All access routes to your home should be free of low hanging tree branches and cleared of flammable vegetation at least 10 feet from roads and five feet from driveways .
- Proximity to a quality fire department is also one of the greatest considerations that your insurance carrier will use in determining your homeowners insurance premium.
- Maintain an emergency water supply that meets fire department standards, such as a community water hydrant system, a cooperative emergency storage tank with neighbors, or a minimum storage supply of 2,500 gallons on your property. If your water comes from a well, consider an emergency generator to operate the pump during a power failure. Clearly mark all water sources, and create easy access to your closest emergency water source.
HOW CAN I SLOW DOWN A WILDFIRE HEADED TOWARD MY HOUSE?
- Create a 30-foot defensible space around your home by removing as much flammable material as you can. Replace flammable vegetation with fire resistive plants.
- Reduce the number of trees in heavily wooded areas by spacing native trees and shrubs at least 10 feet apart. On trees taller than 18 feet, prune lower branches within six feet of the ground.
- Remove branches overhanging the roof or coming within 10 feet of the chimney. Clean all dead leaves and needles from the roof, gutters, and yard.
- Install a roof that meets a fire classification of "Class C" or better. Cover the chimney outlet and stovepipe with nonflammable screening no larger than half-inch mesh.
- Install dual- or triple-paned windows, and limit the size and number of windows that face large areas of vegetation.
- Put woodpiles and liquid propane gas tanks at least 30 feet from all structures and clear away flammable vegetation within 10 feet of those woodpiles and propane tanks.
WHAT DO I DO IF A WILDFIRE TARGETS MY HOUSE?
- If you have time before you evacuate your family and pets (Your family has an evacuation plan in place, right?), back your car into the garage, leave the key in the ignition, and close the garage door. Close windows and doors to the house, and close all inside doors.
- Take down drapes and curtains.
- Place a ladder against the front of the house.
- If you have a combustible roof, wet it down or turn on roof sprinklers.
- Turn off the gas at the meter and the butane tank.
- Place fire fighting tools, such as 100 feet of pre-connected garden hose, a shovel, a rake, a bucket, and containers filled with water, in an accessible place.
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Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association is a non-profit consumer information organization. Affiliated with the Insurance Information Institute, RMIIA has been serving consumers and the media since 1952.
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