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As Irma Moves Out, Insurance Claims Come Rolling In

An uprooted tree damaged a fence in Winter Park. Photo: Heather Mellet / Twitter
An uprooted tree damaged a fence in Winter Park. Photo: Heather Mellet / Twitter

Now that the storm has moved out it’s time to repair the damage. Many homeowners across Florida have damages houses, broken roofs and flooding. So how do you navigate your homeowner’s insurance policy? And is Florida equipped to handle the deluge of claims to come with a storm this size?

Lisa Miller is a former Florida Deputy Insurance Commissioner and founder of Lisa Miller and Associates. She says an important first step is to document the damage.

"Take pictures to capture the damage," she said. "Its OK if you didn't capture photos before but its better if you did."

While speaking with your agent, be sure to take careful notes. "Ask the person that answers the phone for the insurance company what they need from you to help them get your claim into their system," she said.  "Take detailed notes as if you were in class at school. Document every detail: the time of your call, who you are talking to, and what you and that person agreed to."

If you have any questions during the process, Florida's Department of Financial Services can help residents out by calling  1-877-693-5236 or if you are out of state, call (850) 413-3089.

Brendan Byrne is WMFE's Assistant News Director, managing the day-to-day operations of the WMFE newsroom, editing daily news stories, and managing WMFE's internship program.

Byrne also hosts WMFE's weekly radio show and podcast "Are We There Yet?" which explores human space exploration.
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