As firefighters work to contain the Tea, Sayre, and Freeway Complex fires throughout Southern California, property/casualty companies are on the ground reaching out to policyholders to facilitate immediate shelter needs and begin the process of recovering and rebuilding, says the American Insurance Association (AIA).“Once again, Southern California has seen the destruction of wind driven wildfires and once again insurers will be there to help policyholders put their lives back together,” said Gov. Marc Racicot, president of AIA. “Affected homeowners and renters should immediately contact their insurance companies to report any losses. Just call your company’s toll free claims hotline to get the recovery process underway.”
Status of Fires and Damage:
Freeway Complex Fire is 60 % contained. 29,000 acres have burned.
Sayre Fire is 64% contained. 11,200 acres have burned.
Tea Fire is 100% contained. 1,940 acres were burned.
Since Nov. 13, 842 homes have been destroyed and 100 homes damaged due to the Southern California wildfires. Sources: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Los Angeles Times.
“Insurers are fully committed to helping affected policyholders recover in the days and weeks ahead. AIA member companies, their agents and claims adjusters have sent experienced catastrophe teams into the five counties impacted and are on the ground and available to begin processing claims,” said Racicot. “The insurance industry plans for catastrophes such as this and is both solidly capitalized and financially prepared to respond to this latest disaster.
"Financial preparedness is just as important as physically preparing for a disaster. These catastrophic fires should serve as a reminder to other California homeowners that they should do an insurance review with their agent or insurer to make sure they have adequate coverage. It is good practice to call your carrier and report any upgrades, remodeling or expansions done on your home. Homeowners should also complete home inventories, video tape their home’s contents and store copies of important papers off site,” concluded Racicot.
Resources for Claimants: Insurance company toll free hotlines can be found at:
www.aiadc.org
www.iinc.org
www.insurance.ca.gov
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The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) is also advising residents to first make sure it is safe to return to their homes and then make contact with their insurance company as soon as possible. Consumers can find claims phone numbers, tips on properly insuring their homes and other insurance checklists at www.pciaa.net.
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