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.

When to Call a Public Insurance Claim Adjuster for Help

A public insurance adjuster from Norcia can help you with your insurance claim so that you can rest easy. But, how do you when to call us for help? When there is destruction to your home or property, there can be a number of things to think about; from ensuring the well-being of your family to dealing with emergency repairs. And, figuring this entire thing out with your insurance company is the last thing you want to have to have to deal with. At Norcia, we offer expert public insurance claim assistance in Minnesota and have gained years of experience helping homeowners like you get the help they need with their insurance claims.

With Severe Weather Awareness Week being April 17 through 21^st, we would like to provide you with some of the cues that indicate it’s time to reach out for public insurance claim assistance:

1. Don’t hesitate to call for all-important public insurance claim assistance! Call a public insurance adjuster at Norcia Insurance Consultants at the first sign of damage. Whether it’s a storm, tornado or similar situation, having an adjuster on your side right off the bat means you start on a level playing field with your insurance company. Your public insurance adjuster will know the certain conditions of your insurance policy that must be met and strictly adhered to before and during the claims process.
2. Call one of our public insurance adjusters at the first red flag that you get from your insurance company. One red flag is if they reassign your claim to another one of their adjusters. That can sometimes signal that your repair estimate is going to be revised several times before it is paid out. Public insurance claim assistance can help you avoid these types of delays.

Some assume they can handle the insurance claim process all on their own. However, in reality it’s more involved than just calling the insurance company, submitting paperwork and waiting to receive a check. Keep in mind that many insurance companies are just looking out for their own interest and you may be disappointed by what they agree to pay. Often, the amount you are entitled to and the amount they think they owe you are two very different numbers.

So when you need reliable and professional public insurance claim assistance in Minnesota, call Norcia Insurance Consultants at 1-866-512-LOSS (5677) or you can contact us to Request a Free Consultation.

Depend on Public Insurance Adjusters

Its wintertime! Get that fireplace running! Nothing compares to the overall awesomeness of a fireplace. The odor, the crackle, the trance-inducing fire, all of it adds up to you and yours frequently sitting around the fireplace to enjoy family time.

The fireplace is not all roses, sunshine and warmth. Your chimney offers potential hazards if not properly cared for. As public insurance adjusters in the Twin Cities, so many of your acquaintances, colleagues, family and friends have been assisted in the event of their home falling prey to the unkempt whims of a chimney that from year to year is put into action without proper care.

The fireplace is something that gets an annual shut down only to be reawakened at a later date. You, at a minimum and preferably once a year, right before or right after winter, should have that chimney professionally inspected and cleaned. When a standard house-warming fire burns in your fireplace, creosote begins to form. It accumulates and builds up with each subsequent fire. This black and sticky flammable substance should be cleaned regularly to prevent it from igniting and causing a fire at a place with your chimney that you do not want it to be.

Utilize dried and cured wood in your chimney operations (the logs need to be split, dried for 8 to 12 months). Stack your logs so that they have a cover over them, leaving ample openings on the sides to accomplish proper air flow. Do not utilize lumber scraps, construction scraps, painted wood or other pieces of treated wood. These types of wood could release harmful chemicals into your home, and it could affect the indoor air quality at your house. You can use starter logs to start the fire if you need to, but just be sure to use only one of them at a time since they burn very hot.

When not using the fireplace, always use the damper. The damper will help keep the warm air currently in your home from getting out. When actively burning a fire in the fireplace, make sure you keep the doors of the fireplace open to allow the heat of the fire to get into the room.

We hope that our tips will help you eliminate a worst case scenario from occurring within your home. Not running into a disaster equals not having to call on your insurance company. If you do find yourself in the undesirable position of having to deal with your insurance company alone, hire some public insurance adjusters in the Twin Cities area. Call Norcia Insurance Consultants at 866-512-LOSS (5677), or you can contact us to set up your Free Consultation.

The Overwhelmed Homeowner and the Public Insurance Adjuster

As a public insurance adjuster serving Wisconsin, we know how much our job means to homeowners. We are advocates for your cause, always working hard to get you the full amount of compensation due from your insurance company following disaster or tragedy. Please check out the following reasons an insurance adjuster can be an asset to you if you need to file a claim with your insurance company.

A public insurance adjuster is your advocate. We are here to make sure you get the full amount of the insurance compensation that is due to you as per the terms set forth in your insurance policy. The insurance world can be a bit murky. Public insurance adjusters are here for you and yours to unmuddy the waters of the hectic homeowner’s insurance world. We are here to advocate on your behalf so you do not have to stress out or worry about how much money your insurance company is going to pay out.

We can help take away a lot of the stress you are experiencing. If an unfortunate event were to befall your home, and you need to make a claim with your insurance company, a lot of undue pressure is often added to your daily life. An insurance adjuster of our sort handles all of the legwork associated with filing such claims. You are then free to handle any other aspects of the event like dealing with the emotions, being there for your family and taking care of the other, more important things in your life.

A public insurance adjuster is 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.

Finally, a public insurance adjuster is also there to help you understand the subtleties and vagaries of insurance claims like how and when to file, what and when to expect compensation. If you have not dealt with insurance companies in this fashion before, the insurance world can be confusing and a bit overwhelming. A public insurance adjuster like us can come to your home, explain to you what is unfolding, clarifying all aspects of the paperwork and contracts that you might otherwise have a hard time understanding.

Do you need a public insurance adjuster in Wisconsin? Call Norcia Insurance Consultants at 866-512-LOSS (5677), or you can contact us and set up a Free Consultation.

Safety Tips for Your Fireplace

Now that winter is here, many families are enjoying their fireplaces. What better way to socialize and get comfy and cozy than gathering around a warm and crackling fire? However, fireplaces and chimneys can pose a threat to the health and safety of you and your family if they are not properly used and cared for. We are an insurance adjuster in Minnesota, and we want to make sure you and your family stay safe this winter when using your fireplace.

On a yearly basis, make sure that you get a professional chimney sweep to come to your home to inspect your chimney and clean it. The sweep will note if there are any needed repairs. Make sure the chimney sweep company you use is licensed by your state and make sure they are fully insured to do the work.

When burning wood, make sure it’s been dried and cured. The logs need to have been stacked for at least 8 to 12 months before being used, and they should be stored somewhere that they can be exposed to air but where they will not get too damp. If you store your wood pile outside, make sure you cover it with a tarp but keep the sides open so plenty of air can flow through.

In any type of fireplace you might have, make sure only that particular fuel source is burned. So if you have a wood-burning fireplace, make sure the only thing that is burned in there is wood. Do not burn painted wood or treated wood, and do not allow anyone to burn plastic, glass or any other materials like that.

Close the damper when your fireplace is not in use. This will help keep warm air from escaping out of your home through your chimney. When you have a fire going in your fireplace, make sure you open the glass doors so the warmth can go into your home. This is also a safety issue as well.

During the inspection process, make sure the chimney cap is in good shape as well. The cap is what will keep animals from nesting in your chimney and it also helps keep water out of your chimney as well, not to mention downdrafts that could cause problems in your home.

Are you interested in learning more about our services as an insurance adjuster in Minnesota? Call Norcia Insurance Consultants at 866-512-LOSS (5677), or you can contact us to get a Free Consultation.

Be Prepared for Winter Weather

It seems fall has only begun, but winter weather will be here before we know it. Here in Minnesota, we get our fair share of frigid temperatures, blustery wind and snow. It is important for you and your family to be prepared in case there is a winter weather emergency. If your home is damaged as a result of winter weather, you can contact us for help with insurance claims management in the Twin Cities.

Before that happens, we want to go over a few things to help you prepare for winter weather. One of the most important things to know is the difference between a winter storm outlook, advisory, watch and warning.

Outlook: Winter storm conditions are possible within the next two to five days.

Advisory: Winter weather is expected and it will most likely cause inconveniences or hazards for traveling. You are advised to take caution.

Watch: There is a good chance winter storm conditions will occur within the next 36 to 48 hours. You should stay updated on weather conditions and be prepared for the possibility of a storm.

Warning: Severe and life-threatening weather conditions are already happening or will begin in the next 24 hours.

To be prepared for a winter storm, you should have a fully stocked emergency kit in your home. This kit should include items like batteries, a battery-powered radio, flashlights, candles, matches, bottled water, nonperishable food, sand or kitty litter, extra blankets and jackets. You should also have a first aid kit as well as extras of any necessary medication.

Have a plan for what to do if a winter storm strikes, and make sure everyone in the family understands the plan. If your family members are not all home during the storm, be sure everyone knows how to get in touch.

Try not to get caught in the storm. Watch the weather and avoid traveling if possible when the forecast is predicted to get bad.

Once the storm is over and you know all your family is safe, be sure to check your home and property for any damage. If you do have damage, contact us for our insurance claims management service to help you through the claims process.

For more information about insurance claims management in the Twin Cities and other services we offer, call Norcia Insurance Consultants at 866-512-LOSS (5677), or you can contact us to set up a Free Consultation.