News and Information from Hurricane Ike Recovery Central (HoustonBusinessDaily.com)
300,000. That is a conservative estimate of the number of claims that consumers are expected to make due to damages caused by Hurricane Ike, according to the Insurance Journal.
Texas Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin has said it will be quite some time before Texans know what the financial damage will be, but it has been "estimated (that) the cost of the storm (is) to be between $6 and $18 billion, it will take 30 to 90 days before the true impact of the hurricane will be known."
In light of this, there are a few things consumers and business owners needed to keep in mind.
First of all, this recovery process will be slow. Very slow. The attention will definitely go to the consumers and business owners that know what they are doing. Unfortunately, most people have no idea what to expect or how to negotiate. To make matters worse, they don't typically have the time to do such effectively.
Insurance companies are going to do everything in their power to pay as little as possible in their claims. In their defense, they have a financial responsibility to their investors and Board of Directors to be as conservative in their payments as possible, but try to tell that to a family that has lost its car or home.
The consumers and business owners who are most successful in the insurance claims process will likely be those who hire a public insurance adjuster. A licensed public adjuster will know the right questions to ask, know how to negotiate with insurance carriers, and keep the process moving in a timely manner. The minimum standard is a license, but you should also look for other credentials such as the Certified Professional Public Adjuster and Senior Professional Public Adjuster.
ThePriceofBusiness.com is an excellent source of information on hurricane recovery issues and is helping individuals find professional adjusters and is seeking adjusters to join our program. Contact us at info@HoustonBusinessShow.com for more information.
