A Success Story From an All-Too Common Lightning Strike

Tragedy entered my life on August 21, 2019. Lightning struck my home causing extensive fire, water and smoke damage which required a total interior rebuild from the framing on up. I was devastated beyond belief with concerns on how I was going to get my life and my home back. After my grief and shock lessened, I came to the realization that I had some very important decisions to make.

On the advice of a close friend, I decided to hire a public adjuster. It turned out to be my best decision in the 10 month process it took to return to my home. MHA Property Loss Advisors was my choice. The owner, Ken Ursaki, was very reassuring and professional. He put me at ease and let me know that his team would be working with me and for me in every aspect of my claim with my insurance carrier. Ken also provided me with references from previous clients who spoke very highly of Ken and his team and the quality of the services they provided.

Ken’s team, Kyle Ohse my assigned expert adjuster and Juliana Castro who did my extensive inventory, lifted the burden off my shoulders. They fully documented, substantiated, and negotiated my claim. It would have been impossible for me to accomplish what they did, negotiate with my insurance company and hold down my full time job.

The settlement MHA secured for me was far more than I could have gotten on my own. Thank you so much Ken, Kyle and Juliana for helping to reestablish my normalcy. Your professionalism, kindness and expertise turned the darkest time of my life into an immense sense of relief and joy when I was finally able to move back into my beautiful restored home on May 19, 2020.

George Parker
Andover, CT

Expert Public Adjuster Advice by Ken Ursaki

After experiencing a property loss from a home fire, the recovery process can be long and stressful. We know that all you want is to get back to your normal life with your family, so we have outlined some of the first steps you should keep in mind during this situation. Our team of home fire claim experts is ready to guide and advise you with your home fire property loss and help you recover as much as possible. When you need home fire insurance claim advice, we recommend not only following these steps but also having a personal conversation with one of our team’s insurance claim experts that will allow us to best help with your unique situation.

Request a certified copy of your insurance policy.

Any time you experience property damage or loss, your first step should be to request a certified copy of your insurance policy. It can take up to two weeks to receive this document, so you must ask for it as early as possible. The policy dictates how the claim is adjusted and ultimately how the claim is settled. You can view online or a get a hand out copy from your agent, however this is not always a comprehensive policy. Rather than relying on the online version, you should always use the certified copy of this document. This way, you will have more details at your disposal and be able to recover as much of your loss as possible.

Save all receipts for expenses from your displacement.

When you go through a home fire property loss, you will likely experience countless new expenses because of the situation. Your insurance policy includes a section for “Additional Living Expenses” (ALE), or Loss of Use, so if you keep track of your displacement expenses, then you may get reimbursed for them as part of your recovery assistance.

Whether you are paying for extra food, lodging, gas, clothing, toiletries, or anything else that you need because of your unusual situation, this can all be included in the ALE category and therefore be reimbursed by your insurance company. Some insurance plans even include bookkeeping items needed for expense tracking in this category, including printers, computers, and office supplies. Throughout this process, always be sure to keep your receipts and stay organized so that you can receive the most optimal compensation for your losses.

Review the “Duties After Loss” section of your insurance policy.

One of the most important sections of your insurance policy is labeled “Your Duties After Loss”. This section describes everything you are required to do following a loss, and often, there are more steps and requirements listed here than your insurance company may have explained. If you want to receive the highest possible reimbursement from your insurance company, then you must follow the instructions spelled out in this section rather than just taking others’ advice. If you ever have any questions about this, then feel free to reach out to home fire claim experts Kyle, Brian, Eric or Ken, who are experienced with examining the “Duties After Loss” section and helping you recover more quickly.

Provide “Proof of Loss”

Another key section in Your Duties After Loss of your insurance policy is “Proof of Loss” or “Sworn Statement of Loss.” The Proof of Loss form is an official, notarized, sworn statement from the insured to the insurance company regarding the amount of loss. The policy will state you have to complete this form within 30 or 60 days after the Date of Loss or in some cases 60 days after the insurance company makes the request for a Proof of Loss. Always fill out the Proof of Loss form very carefully, as this is a critical document in the claim process.

The Proof of Loss form is a legal contract, so you should only discuss it with or take advice from home fire insurance claim experts who have significant experience in the industry.

Do not clear your property.

Just saying that you have experienced property loss is not enough for insurance companies to give you compensation; you must provide clear documentation of your situation to receive what you deserve. Before you remove your damaged property, you should make sure that you document everything with photos so that it is clear exactly what was or was not lost during the home fire. Importantly, the policy will state “you must display the damaged property as often as we reasonably request”.

Create a separate bank account.

A great way to keep your transactions organized while recovering from a home fire property loss is to create a separate bank account for insurance-related transactions. Any time you receive a deposit from your insurance company, you can add it to this account before transferring it to your main bank accounts. Only insurance deposits should be put into this account. This way, you can easily keep track of how much money you have received so far and what you have done with it. We suggest that you name this account something like “Fire Claim Account” so that you can keep it separate from all other accounts that you use more frequently.

Read and organize the certified copy of your insurance policy.

Once you have received the certified copy of your insurance policy, you must read it completely and have a thorough understanding of everything it entails. This is not something that you can skim through and still understand, so make sure that you read everything carefully. 

As you review your official insurance policy, we recommend that you bookmark key areas of coverage. This will ensure that you understand exactly what possibilities and limitations you are bound to, and it will also help keep you organized. This way, you will not need to search through the full document every time you need to reference these important details. Then, you can sort these key areas of coverage into the same categories that your insurance company will use when allocating the money they pay you. As home fire claim expert, Ken Ursaki says, you should always “Make the loss fit your policy” so that you receive the best possible compensation from your insurance company.

The following groupings represent how homeowner’s insurance is categorized and list additional areas of coverage you may be able to exploit:

• Coverage A Dwelling
• Coverage B Other Structures
• Coverage C Personal Property
• Coverage D Alternative Living Expenses or Loss of Use
• Additional Coverages
  
  1. Debris Removal
  2. Code and Ordinance
  3. Landscape
  4. Etc.

Document your property, structures, and possessions.

Out of all these different steps you should consider when facing a home fire property loss, the documentation process will likely take the longest, as it is also the most important part of your claim. It may take months to document everything correctly and provide a complete representation of your situation, so rather than rushing through the process, you should take the time to be as detailed as possible. You will know that you have done enough when you exceed the coverage limit in your policy – so until then, you should follow these steps and document your home, structures, and possessions:

Step 1: First, you should draw a full floor plan of your home that will document your different rooms. Label each room and assign a number to it. For example, you may write, “1-Kitchen,” “2-Living Room,” “3-Main Floor Bathroom,” “4-Laundry Room,” etc. You can create this floor plan from memory, or you can reference an official floor plan of your home if you have one.

Step 2: Once you have completed this basic floor plan, then you can map out your entire property. This includes other structures on your property, as well as valuable items in the different rooms and structures. This organization will give you a good idea of what you have lost or what has been preserved, depending on the extent of your home fire and related property loss.

Step 3: Then, you should collect any photos you have of your home and possessions before the loss occurred. Photos or any other documentation of both the inside and outside of your home, as well as valuable possessions, will be helpful. Not only will this serve as a form of proof to the insurance company that you owned these items, but it will also help you remember and organize what was lost.

Step 4: The next step is to create a detailed spreadsheet of any possessions that you can think of. While all possessions can be included, you should pay more attention to those that are greater than $250 in value. Home fire claim experts at MHA can provide you a template for this spreadsheet, or you can create your own if that will help you stay more organized. Using your floor plans created in Step 1 and Step 2 as a reference, you should document everything that you lost on the spreadsheet. We recommend going room by room, wall by wall, and drawer by drawer to make sure that you do not miss anything.

This can be a long and difficult process, so you may want to divide it into smaller tasks that are more feasible. Each night, you can focus on just one wall of your property and record everything that you remember being there. If you have receipts, order history documents, or links to the items online, then you should include these as well. Being detailed and diligent throughout this step is one of the best ways to ensure that you receive as much compensation as possible from your insurance company.

Step 5: Finally, you should document the details of your home and structures. Whether you do this on your spreadsheet or with a separate list, you will need to record details about your home and all structures that were lost. Include the rooms’ sizes, information about the flooring, windows, and doors, and details regarding the lighting, insulation, and electrical structures. Everything that you can think of should be in this report so that it becomes a written replica of your home. If you are having difficulties with this, then we suggest referencing aerial Google Maps photos, assessors’ cards, and appraisal reports. When your insurance company reviews the completed documentation of losses, they will be able to do a more complete assessment of the value, which should help you receive valid compensation for what you have lost.

We understand that managing the compensation process after experiencing a home fire loss can be difficult and stressful, so we are happy to assist any time you need home fire claim expert advice. Our team of experienced professionals has helped hundreds of happy clients receive optimal compensation in the past, and we hope to help you reach your potential during this process as well. If you follow the above steps and give us a call to set up a introductory consultation, then you are sure to lead with your best foot.

Property insurance claims and lessons learned from Tropical Storm Isaias

You never know exactly when you need to be prepared for the damage that comes with a storm or other natural disaster, and Tropical Storm Isaias proved this to be a fact when it hit us this summer. Isaias had an unexpectedly dramatic impact on Connecticut, causing damages to many business and residential properties across the state. MHA Property Loss Advisors is a team of expert public insurance adjusters, and we are here to help people like you with your property insurance claims from Isaias and future storms. We want you to learn from Isaias, prepare for the future, and get the help you deserve for the next time you need to file a property insurance claim.

What was Tropical Storm Isaias?

Isaias began off the coast of Africa around July 24, 2020. On July 30, Isaias had grown in strength and was labeled a tropical storm by the National Hurricane Center. As it traveled toward the Americas, it wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, and eventually, the United States. Though Isaias did not cause much damage in Florida, it was named a hurricane by the time it reached North Carolina, where it produced quite a bit of wind and rainfall. The Northeast then received winds, rain, and flooding as well, and though downgraded to a tropical storm, Isaias still caused considerable damage in Connecticut.

In Connecticut and Western Massachusetts, most people did not expect Isaias to be a major issue, but this storm resulted in far more damage than usual when it arrived on August 4. Isaias brought winds of 35-40 mph, and though there was less rain than predicted, the National Weather Service concluded that a small tornado came with the storm and added to the damage. Isaias destroyed enough people’s properties that Connecticut was granted a federally approved state of emergency. Thousands of Connecticut homes and businesses were affected by structural damage, rain damage, tree removal, mold issues, and relocation expenses.

More than 720,000 people across the state lost power because of the storm, some for as long as a week. According to Eversource spokesman Frank Poirot, this was Connecticut’s third-worst weather event in history. It exceeded all outage prediction models from the Eversource Energy Center, meaning that few people were prepared for the power loss. Especially because so many people were working from home or even battling cases of COVID-19 this summer, this power shortage disrupted people’s lives significantly. Imagine having a work deadline or a call with a client when your wifi connection is not working, your laptop is dead, and many of your belongings have just been destroyed. The stakes are higher now that your home is also your place of work, which is why it is so important to be prepared and prevent as much damage and power loss as possible.

Issues such as weak tree root systems, recent droughts, and moths contributed to thousands of trees falling down during Tropical Storm Isaias. They were already in a weakened state, and many of them fell on power lines and people’s homes. Even if they did not notice at first, many Connecticut residents faced physical damages to their residential and commercial properties in addition to the power loss. The trees that fell on roofs and the windows that were blown out were obvious, but other types of damage below the surface, such as mold growth, were not so noticeable. It did not take much for damage expenses to exceed $10,000, requiring a property insurance claim.

Tropical Storm Isaias taught Connecticut residents, as well as many people across the Americas, that they should never underestimate the damage that a storm can cause. Few people expected Isaias to cause this much damage, which is why storm preparation is so important no matter what the predictions suggest. In the future, property owners should remember this storm as a warning for why insurance is a necessary investment and why it is so important to receive the full deserved settlement after a property insurance claim. There are several ways you can start preparing for the next storm, and even if you do not live on the coast, as we learned from Isaias, it is still imperative that you take precautions and do your best to limit the issues that it could cause you and your property.

How to be prepared for storms in the future

Tropical Storm Isaias’s impact on Connecticut proved that it is always important to be prepared. Firstly, you should make a storm plan in case another natural disaster hits. You can purchase nonperishable food, water bottles, and flashlights well ahead of time so that you do not get to the store only to find that everything you need is out of stock. Additionally, it is very important that you purchase a generator and hook it up to necessities such as the water heater and refrigerator. If you’re handy with basic electrical know-how, a portable unit may suffice. If not, consider having a fixed unit professionally installed that can be activated with a switch. The next time you lose power for a week, you’ll still be able to function in your home and avoid loss of food and relocation expenses.

Connecticut also offers its residents many different resources during and after hurricanes. Be sure to pay attention to local news broadcasts to hear about weather updates and state evacuation orders from local first responders and government officials. After the storm has finished, city and town utility services should take care of fixing most public damages such as electrical wires knocked down by heavy winds, and your local health department can advise you on whether or not it is safe to drink water from public drinking systems or private wells. This way, you can focus on issues in your home such as covering the structure with tarps, throwing away food that may have gone bad, moving damaged items to the curb, and assessing the mold and water damage. You can learn more about the state’s storm policies and resources at Connecticut’s official Hurricane Season Preparedness website, as well as at State Senator Kevin Kelly’s Tropical Storm Isaias Recovery Resources website.

A final major way you can prepare for a storm is by maintaining a good property insurance plan and understanding its policies well. You never know how much damage a storm could cause, and it does not take much for a storm to create a sizable property insurance claim. Normally, any damage that costs more than your deductible justifies a property insurance claim, but you should always consider your specific plan and the possibility of higher premiums when making this decision. It is also important to note that there may be damage that is not obvious. Sometimes, unseen structural damage can occur as a result of a storm or fire, such as the weakening of an older roof or a growing mold problem. Though the problem is not obvious during or right after the storm, the damage can be costly down the road. If your roof gives out months later, your insurance company may say that this issue is not connected to the storm, even though that was the root cause. MHA Property Loss Advisors knows to look out for this.

Overall, whether or not you file a property insurance claim will depend on the details of your policy, so you should maintain coverages appropriate for your home or business. The investment you make when purchasing property insurance and enduring the claim process will be well worth it when you receive settlement payout for the destruction that has been done by a storm.

What to do if you need to file a property insurance claim

Whether caused by a hurricane or tropical storm like Isaias, a fire, or a flood, if you have sizable damage to your home or business, then it is important that you get the property insurance money you deserve. This will help you transition back to your normal life as smoothly as possible. Make sure you reach out to your insurance company within the time requirement, and then an adjuster working for the company’s best interest will assess the damage that has been done to your property. You will file a property insurance claim, using this assessment and photos of your home, as well as an inventory list of all items destroyed, damaged, or missing because of the storm. You can typically do this online, over the phone, or at a mobile claims center. If there are critical repairs you need to make to your home, be sure to discuss this with the adjuster and be sure to save all receipts. If your insurance plan includes a deductible, then you will have to pay that amount, and eventually, you should receive the money the insurance company decides you need to repair the damages.

This sounds simple enough, but unfortunately, many insurance companies do not give their customers sufficient funds and seek to minimize their payout. If you need help maximizing your insurance policy and receiving the money you need to repair the damages, then expert public insurance adjusters are here to help you. When there are issues below the surface, insurance companies may not notice them or may not give you the money to fix it because they assume you will not realize it. For example, though they offer you $50,000 to fix your roof and wall damage, this may be nowhere close to the $150,000 you actually need to restore these issues in addition to the water and wind damage that may not be as obvious. In order to avoid losing out on the full scope of your policy, you should get an unbiased opinion about the cost of the damages. It never hurts to have a free introductory call to learn about your next steps and options following a loss.

How MHA Property Loss Advisors can help

In order to protect you, an expert public insurance adjuster from MHA Property Loss Advisors can work with home improvement contractors and make sure that you are not taken advantage of by large companies. We offer an independent, unbiased assessment of the damages done to your home and our goal is to make sure that property owners receive the compensation and repairs they deserve. The MHA team is made up of wind damage and fire loss insurance claim experts, so we are here to help with whatever property loss consulting you need and will negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf. Dealing with an insurance claim is similar to a business negotiation, and we can help put you on a level playing field with your insurance carrier.

If you experienced damages from Tropical Storm Isaias or another natural disaster and want to maximize your property insurance claim settlement, then MHA Property Loss Advisors is ready to help you. The MHA Promise consists of prompt communication, highest integrity, and best industry practices. Our proven five-step process helps give our clients the representation and protection they need to avoid getting taken advantage of by insurance companies. You can give us a call today, or whenever you need us, and we will recommend the next basic action based on your damages and review of your insurance policy. There is no commitment necessary; we just want to make sure that you get the help you need.

You are entitled to a safe home and work environment, and even if your properties have been damaged by a storm, fire, or other natural cause, we will strive to get you back to life as normal with the insurance money that you have a right to. We cannot predict the future, but our team of expert public insurance adjusters will do our best to minimize your financial risk of being affected by wind, fire, and water. MHA Property Loss Advisors wants Connecticut residents to prepare well for storms, and if the time comes that you need help, we will be ready to fight for the compensation you deserve.