Severe storms killed three people and caused significant damage in southwest Louisiana Monday. At least one EF3 tornado hit Lake Charles, officials said.
The St. Martin Parish coroner reports that a female died in Cecilia after a camper rolled over because of high winds. In Port Allen, a 31-year-old female died when a tree fell on the trailer in which she resided. The female was nine months pregnant at the time of her death; the fetus did not survive and is being counted as the third storm-related death.
Heavy storm damage was reported across Calcasieu, Beauregard, Allen and Jefferson Davis parishes.
The Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) offers the following tips on filing a claim for property damage after a severe weather event:
Contact your insurance company or agent first to file a claim. Be ready to provide your policy number and an initial damage assessment if possible. Make sure your agent and insurance company have your correct contact information.
Take pictures or video of the damage before cleaning up. Visually document the damage before cleaning up and making temporary repairs. Attempt to separate damaged personal property from undamaged items, but do not throw them away. Keeping damaged items will give the claims adjuster a more complete inventory of property loss.
Make temporary repairs to protect your property from additional damage. You have an obligation to mitigate further damage by taking protective measures such as putting a tarp over your roof or boarding up broken windows. Keep receipts for expenses incurred in taking these temporary measures.
Remain alert for potential fraud and other scams. Scammers and other criminals may attempt to take advantage of storm victims as they recover and rebuild. Some of these fraudulent practices include scammers posing as contractors or inspectors, fake solicitations for disaster donations, and false offers of state or federal aid. These scam attempts can be made over the phone; by email, mail, or text; and even door-to-door.
When an adjuster visits your property, ask for identification. You can call the LDI at 1-800-259-5300 or visit our website to verify his or her licensure.
Contact the LDI if you need help. Call our office at 1-800-259-5300 or contact us online to file a complaint, ask a question about your policy, report suspected insurance fraud and more.
Source: LDI
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