Tips from the Experts: What You Should Do after a Storm

With spring and summer comes intense weather that can bring harsh, damaging storms to the area. When a storm hits and causes damage to your home, it is important to take the proper first steps to get your home and your wallet on the road to recovery. At Norcia, we offer insurance claims help for Minnesota and are here to offer help with all of your insurance needs. And, we’d like to start by giving you a few tips so you know where to begin.

First, not sure if you have a claim? File one anyway. Experts like those at Norcia can get you the insurance claims you need to get you started. Even if a claim is fairly minor, like a broken window, for instance and won't exceed your annual deductible, you should still report that damage. Why? If there's another storm this year, then together your claims from both storms might top your deductible and then you could be reimbursed.

Next, contact your insurance company. Contacting your insurance company is essential to starting the claims process. But, with insurance claims help help from Norcia, we can take care of this for you. A public insurance adjuster like us can come to your home, talk to y our insurance company for you, explain to you what is unfolding, clarify all aspects of the paperwork and contracts that you might otherwise have a hard time understanding.

Always be sure to document every single possible issue that can be deemed a “loss”. Take photographs and notes. Go room by room inside of the house, side by side on your home’s exterior. Take close-ups, zoom in. In cases of loss with regard to natural disaster in pursuit of recompense from your insurance company, it is far better to have way too much in the way of documentation than little at all.

If your home has taken on severe damage, it is a good idea to board up your windows and doors. This will aid in the effort to prevent it from taking on even more damage, in addition to protecting the assets within. If you bring in a contractor to do such work, keep the receipt. You never know and keeping an accurate log of all transactions related to the disaster your home has endured will go a long way in aiding the insurance claims management process.

One thing to always remember is that for all of these steps, it helps to have insurance claims help you can trust. We will be in your corner, not the insurance company’s. Our job is to look out for you to make sure that you get fair and reasonable compensation from your insurance company when you file a claim.

Are you interested in getting more information on insurance claims help in Minnesota? Call Norcia Insurance Consultants at 866-512-LOSS (5677), or you can contact us to set up your Free Consultation.

How Was Your Holiday Home Safety? Up the Ante for Next Year

It’s 2018! Let’s make your New Year’s resolution a safe one! The holidays for your home most likely meant bringing a tree indoors, putting up many sparkling lights, sitting around the wood-burning fireplace and lots and lots of baking. But hopefully, your holidays did not include insurance claims! As many of us know, hazards can arise this time of year and the last thing you want to do is file an insurance claim.

At Norcia Insurance Consultants, we are the experts in insurance claims for Green Bay and the surrounding areas and would like to offer some tips on how to make sure your 2018 is a safe one! Take note of these safety tips for a safer holiday season next year:

• At least once a year, preferably either right before or right after winter, have your chimney professionally inspected and cleaned. In your fireplace, make sure the only thing you are burning is wood. Make sure you only burn wood that is dry and cured. This means the logs need to have been split, stacked and dried for at least 8 to 12 months. 
• Test your smoke alarms monthly to make sure they work, and be sure to install smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms on every level of your home and especially near sleeping areas. 
• For Christmas next year, make sure your tree is fresh and not dry. Purchase a freshly cut tree, as they are more resistant to ignition. Keep tree watered and away from any open flames like candles or fireplace. 
• Before stringing up the lights next December, carefully inspect them each year and discard any with frayed cords, cracked lamp holders, or loose connections. When replacing bulbs, unplug the light string and be sure to match voltage and wattage to the original bulb. You can even use an outdoor timer to turn lights on and off but make sure it is certified by CSA International. 
• This applies to more than just Christmas lights. Never connect more than one extension cord together; instead use a single cord that is long enough to reach the outlet without stretching, but not so long that it can easily become tangled. By avoiding electrical hazards like these you can also decrease the chance for insurance claims this year. 

These are just some of the ways you can help protect your home this year. Avoid the need for insurance claims! For more information about insurance claims in Green Bay, call Norcia Insurance Consultants at 866-512-LOSS (5677), or you can contact us to set up your Free Consultation.