CLEVELAND — With so many areas hit with damage, we want to talk about your next steps to avoid problems with your insurance company and with potential scams trying to take advantage of you.
Let's start with insurance and what you should do.
Lots of experts weigh in on this, places like Consumer Reports and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).
First, get pictures and videos of the damage before you start any clean-up. Also, contact your homeowner's insurance company or agent right away. You may be eligible for what's called "additional living expenses" if you need temporary housing, meals, boarding pets and more.
From there, your insurer can tell you what you should repair on your own safely as a stop-gap while you're waiting for a contractor to come in. Throughout the process, take notes on every step; the people you've spoken to, the adjuster's comments and the emails you've sent.
People will be vulnerable and worried during a time like this, and that's what scammers are hoping for. The key is to slow yourself down.
You might see door-to-door contractors showing up, and, of course, you'd like to get things done as soon as possible. Some might be legit, however, you have to do your homework before signing anything. Tap into the Better Business Bureau, Ohio Attorney General's Office, and complaint websites to check the reputation of the company.
The BBB and Federal Trade Commission warns never to pay with a wire transfer, gift card, crypto, or cash. Pay with a credit card.
And there are resources inside your community to help as well. "Contact your city. Contact your building department and find out are (the repair companies) allowed to be in my city,” said the Director of Operations of the Cleveland BBB Ericka Dilworth. “Are they registered? Do they have a bond in my city? Do they have insurance through the city? Because your city in most cases has already done a little bit of research on that business."
There's also a warning from the NAIC about signing over benefits to a contractor. That's called "assignment of benefits". Assignment of benefits allows a company to deal with the insurance company directly. The contractor does the repairs and receives the money from the insurance company.
Signing your benefits over to a contractor can be dangerous for many reasons including the insurance company only communicating with the contractor and not you. The NAIC says to remember, you don't have to sign over your rights and when you don’t, you maintain more control over repairs.
