Madison,
30
June
2015
|
11:45 AM
America/Chicago

American Family Insurance catastrophe team helps Minnesota customers after hail and wind storm

Summary

A catastrophe team from American Family Insurance is assisting customers in parts of Minnesota after a hail storm.

Madison, Wis. (June 30, 2015) - A catastrophe team from American Family Insurance is assisting customers in parts of Minnesota after a hail storm hit late Monday damaging vehicles, homes, businesses and farms.

Catastrophe field adjusters have been deployed to help local office teams contact customers and set up appointments to inspect their damage.

Our efforts are focused on helping customers with damage in Anoka, Hennepin and Ramsey counties.

American Family Insurance customers who have claims from storm damage should immediately contact the company's 24-hour Customer Care Center, 1-800-MY-AMFAM (692-6326). They can also report claims to their local American Family agent, or online at www.amfam.com/claims.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

How do I report my insurance claim?

To report a claim, please contact our 24-hour Claim Customer Care Center at 1-800-MY-AMFAM (692-6326) — or your American Family agent.

Can I start to make repairs to prevent further damage?

You should protect your property immediately against further damage and theft. Use plywood, tarps or other materials to cover broken windows and damaged rooftops. Keep the receipts of any materials/services that you purchase to make these repairs so your adjuster can review them and reimburse you for expenses covered by your policy.

Do I have coverage to replace damaged trees or remove tree debris caused by the storm?

Homeowners insurance generally does not cover damage to trees or the removal of tree debris from the property. If a tree has fallen on your home and caused damage, however, we pay to cut away that part of the tree so repairs can be made; most policies pay up to $500 for removing that part of the tree from the property. Check your policy for specific coverage.

The storm caused a neighbor's tree to fall on my house? Whose insurance company should I report my claim to - the neighbor's or mine?

Report the claim to American Family Insurance. Since the cause of damage was an act of nature, your insurance policy applies. If the roles were reversed and a tree from your property fell on your neighbor's home, the neighbor's insurance policy would apply.

The power outage from the storm has caused food in my refrigerator to go bad. Does my policy pay for food spoilage in this situation?

Homeowners insurance generally pays for food spoilage in these situations up to the specific limit in your policy, regardless of whether the source of the power outage was on or away from the policyholder's property. Keep a detailed list of the food items you had to dispose of and share it with your adjuster.

Civil authorities have ordered me to evacuate my home. Does my policy pay for food and lodging during this time?

Your homeowners policy pays for additional living expenses for up to two weeks if you are denied access to your home by the civil authorities. This includes reasonable motel and food expenses. Keep copies of the receipts for your adjuster.

What can I do with my pets?

Your homeowners policy covers the cost of temporarily boarding domestic pets if civil authorities prohibit access to your home. Keep copies of the receipts for your adjuster.

Can I get an emergency advance payment?

Yes. If you have a covered loss and need emergency funds, we can provide you an advance payment. This advance payment is applied to your final claim settlement.

Is there anything I can do to help with the claim process?

Begin to compile a list of personal property and belongings you believe were damaged or destroyed by the storm. Briefly describe each item, including its age, current value, make, model and serial number.

Who do I call to make repairs?

You are free to select any contractor or repair shop you wish. It is usually best to select one who has operated in the area for several years, is insured and bonded and gives you a written guarantee for the work performed.

About American Family Insurance

Madison, Wis. - based American Family Insurance is the nation's third-largest mutual property/casualty insurance company and ranks 358th on the Fortune 500 list. The company sells American Family-brand products, including auto, homeowners, life, business and farm/ranch insurance, through its exclusive agents in 19 states. American Family affiliates (The General, Homesite and AssureStart) also provide options for consumers who want to manage their insurance matters directly over the Internet or by phone. Web www.amfam.com; Facebook www.facebook.com/amfam; Twitter www.twitter.com/amfam; Google+ plus.google.com/+amfam/.