Triple-I: Northeasterners Should Review Their Insurance Coverage

For immediate release
New York Press Office: Michael Barry, 917-923-8245, michaelb@iii.org

NEW YORK, July 12, 2023—Homeowners, renters, businesses, and vehicle owners impacted by this week’s severe weather on the East Coast need to know what’s covered under standard insurance policies and how the insurance claim filing process works, according to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I). 

There are four keys to economic recovery after severe weather events, the Triple-I says. 

1. Start the claims process as soon as possible 
Be prepared to give your insurance professional—either an agent or an insurance company representative—a description of the damage to your property and a copy of your home inventory if you have one. Your insurance professional will report the loss immediately to your insurer or to a qualified adjuster. They also will want your cellphone number to update you on the claim’s status.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Individuals and Households Program (IHP) provides financial and direct services to eligible individuals and households affected by a disaster, who have uninsured or under-insured necessary expenses and serious needs.

2. Understand what’s covered 
Property damage to a home, a renter’s possessions, or a business – resulting from either a flood or mudflow – is covered under a flood insurance policy, which is typically separate from a property insurance policy for a home, rental unit, or a business. Flood policies are underwritten through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and private insurers.

Property damage caused by windstorms, hail, and lightning is covered under standard homeowners, renters, and business insurance policies.

Property damage to businesses caused by windstorms, hail, and lightning is typically covered under either a Business Owners Policy (BOP) or a Commercial Multiple Peril (CMP) policy.

3. Review Your Additional Living Expenses (ALE) coverage 
ALE, also known as Loss of Use, pays the additional costs of living away from home if you are displaced either due to a mandatory evacuation or because of damage to your home from an insured catastrophe. It is a standard coverage in homeowners and renters insurance policies but ALE is not incorporated into FEMA NFIP policies.

4. Make Sure You Have Comprehensive Coverage for Your Vehicle 
Vehicles damaged by either floodwaters or debris, such as falling trees, are covered under the optional comprehensive portion of an auto insurance policy. Nearly 80 percent of U.S. drivers have purchased comprehensive coverage.  

RELATED LINKS:

Article:                        Spotlight On: Flood Insurance

Facts & Statistics:       Flood Insurance

Issues Brief:                Flood: State of the Risk

Video:                        How to Get Flood Insurance