Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon urged all Louisianans to always make a claim whenever their homes sustain damage from tornadoes, regardless of how much or little the damage was. The statement was made following a recent string of tornado activity that hit the state Feb. 23.
“The first thing you should do is pull out your policy, familiarize yourself with your policy, deductibles, etc., and access the telephone number for reporting your claim,” Donelon said.
Donelon also urged homeowners to be on the lookout for contractor fraud.
“It’s common, unfortunately. Those folks are referred to as storm chasers,” the insurance commissioner remarked.
Homeowners should check first if a contractor has a proper license and has an insurance policy in place, Donelon advised.
The National Weather Service has claimed that the recent tornado outbreak was one of the worst for Louisiana in recent memory.
With so many of the region’s homeowners filing for claims, some insurers like
Allstate have set up “mobile centers” for consumers to approach for more convenient claim filing.
