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Be careful about out-of-town- ers who offer "special deals," especially repair contractors. Sometimes the local builders' association will offer advice on reconstruction or advice on choosing contractors. (See Step 8 on dealing with repair contrac- tors.) Flood 'nsur"n~. (,,,Ims You may have as many as 3 separate insurance policies: homeowner's, flood, and wind and hail. This section covers the procedures for handling a flood insurance claim. Claims for dam- age not caused by the flood will be handled in a similar manner. You should call your flood insurance agent to file a claim and to report your damage as soon as possible after the flood. An adjuster will be assigned to visit your home so that your claim can be settled. Be sure you leave phone numbers where you can be reached. If you are unable to contact your agent or company, call the National Flood Insurance Program at 1-800-638-6620. Under ideal conditions, the adjuster should contact you to set up an appointment to visit your home within a few days after you call your agent. But if flood damage is widespread in your area, it may take longer for the adjuster to schedule a visit, and it may take time for your claim to be settled. If flooding is extensive, the adjusters will schedule their visits to review the most severe damage first. The adjuster cannot estimate your damage until floodwaters are away from the building. In the meantime, protect your home and its contents from additional damage, but do not make repairs that make it impos- sible for the adjuster to see the damage. Step 2, Give Your Home First Aid, discusses how to protect your home from fur- ther damage. While you are waiting for the adjuster, the following sugges- tions will help you organize the information that you will need: D Take photos or videotape the damage to both the inside and outside of the building and the contents. D Separate your damaged and undamaged belongings and store them for the adjuster to examine. D Find receipts, cancelled checks, or proofs of pur- chase for high-cost items such as major appliances, if possible. The adjuster will need the manufacturer's name; serial and model num- bers; price; location and date of purchase; and a description of the item, The claims adjuster's job is to collect information, which is then sent to a central office for processing. The insured (you) must file a Proof of Loss form within 60 days of the flooding. In many cases, the adjuster will ask you to sign this form and then file it for you. The form states the amount of your loss and is signed by both the insured and the adjuster. An important point to remember is that you may not be reimbursed 5 '::11' p ---; Cbeck on Financial Assistance l Some Points on Settling Claims You are supposed to be reim. bursed fairly for your loss, but you are not supposed to profit from a disaster. You cannot collect more than the face value of your policy. You cannot collect for uninsured items, such as landscaping. . Most adjusters receive a flat salary or compensation for each case they handle. There are no finan. cial incentives that encourage the adjuster to give you a small claim payment. You should get the adjuster's name, company, and telephone number. He or she will probably be from out of town. In most cases, you will be reim. bursed for the actual cash value of an item. That is the cost of replacing the item minus depreci- ation. If your policy is for 80 percent or more of the replace- ment cost of your house, you will be reimbursed for the replace- ment value of damage to your house (no depreciation). If you have problems with a flood insurance claim, your policy should list an office or telephone number that you can contact, or you can call your insurance agent. 31