With dozens of homes destroyed by fire in Southeast Georgia, many families are faced with questions about how they will rebuild.
And as 100 fires burn across Florida, many more families might wonder what they can do to prepare, as homes have recently been threatened in Clay, Nassau and Putnam counties.
Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia are in extreme to exceptional drought conditions -- the highest there is -- meaning brush fires and wildfires can start quickly and spread even faster.
Types of insurance
Sean Way, owner of Sunsera Insurance Agency in Jacksonville, joined us on The Morning Show with important information for homeowners about protecting their property.
Way warned that there are two types of carriers: the admitted market, which most of us have coverage through, and the excess and surplus market, which is where agents would go for those with potentially higher risks.
“When you have a risk that might be in a rural area that’s far away from a fire station or fire hydrants,” Way said, sharing an example. “Those policies tend to have a la carte coverages, so you definitely want to have a conversation with your agent to just verify the coverages that you have so you have that peace of mind.”
Before the disaster
Way urged those who might be in the path of the fire but have not yet been told to evacuate to secure valuables and be sure to bring copies of all their policies.
Way said as you’re preparing to evacuate, you should take pictures and video of all the valuables in your home that you would want replaced if they are damaged in a fire.
“You want to just touch base with your agent to review your coverages and your deductibles, and be aware of what that is and your coverages,” Way said.
And also in the homeowner’s policy, there’s a coverage called loss of use coverage.
“Some policies, that coverage can be activated if there’s an ordinance causing you to leave your home,” Way explained. “But then, if your house is damaged due to a fire or total loss, you do have that coverage there to help you find temporary housing while your house is being rebuilt or repaired.”
Making a claim
Way said once families learn whether their home survived the fire, it’s important to touch base with your insurance agent as soon as possible.
He said the claims process can be long and gradual, so you should start it as quickly as you can.
Unfortunately, for those in the path of the fire who do not have their property insured, it’s too late to try to get coverage, Way said.
“In that particular case, probably just have to rely on the government and any assistance that they may be able to offer,” Way said.
For those who want to help, GoFundMe has created a Georgia Wildfire Relief hub that links to verified fundraising accounts created by families affected by the fire.