Debby: Insurance information

Debby: Insurance information

On Wednesday we had Lynne McChristian on to discuss the insurance impact Tropical Storm Debby is having on the Bay area. She passed along some helpful information to go along with her segments at 8:45 a.m. and 9:15 a.m.

What's covered

A standard homeowners insurance policy has 4 parts:

• Coverage for the structure
• Coverage for personal belongings (unless you decline it)*
• Liability protection
• Additional living expense if you can't live in your home due to a disaster

*Florida law lets you drop coverage for contents.

What's NOT covered

• Maintenance problems or neglect
• Sewer backup**
• Flood**
• Complying with building code upgrades**

** Separate policies & additional coverage is available for these.

Renters need insurance, too. Do a home inventory to determine how much coverage you need.

Free inventory software: www.KnowYourStuff.org

Check out flood insurance costs at www.FloodSmart.gov

Claims procedure

• Contact your insurer immediately.
• Find out if the damage is covered.
• Know your deductible amount.
• Ask how long it will take to process your claim.
• Ask if you'll need to get repair estimates.

Claims tips

• Make temporary repairs.  
• Keep all receipts.
• Prepare an inventory of damage items.
• Get detailed written bids for repairs.
• Keep copies of all documents.

And we'll post the full segments after they air on Good Day Tampa Bay.