Disasters—whether natural or accidental—can greatly impact not only physical landscapes but also the delicate fabric of community trust.
Rebuild with Trust, BBB Akron's newest publication, serves as a vital roadmap, offering clear, actionable strategies to rebuild infrastructure and the essential trust that underpins every healthy marketplace.
Contact your insurance adjuster immediately. Not only does this get the ball rolling on the claims process, but you might be eligible for loss-of-use benefits which means you could be reimbursed for hotel costs, food and other living expenses while your house is uninhabitable.
Be sure to document all conversations with your insurance company or their adjuster and get any promises for reimbursements in writing. It’s also helpful to hold on to all receipts.
Start seeking out current replacement costs for items you'll be including in your claim rather than depending solely on historical costs.
Document the damage to your property and possessions thoroughly. Take pictures or video, if possible.
Go from room to room or document all debris piles and create a detailed account of your belongings and losses.
Make any minor repairs you can do safely to minimize further damage to your home. You could be found liable for damage that occurs after a storm has passed, so make temporary repairs such as boarding up broken windows, removing wet drywall and carpet to prevent mold and putting up a tarp over a leaky roof.
Beware of fly-by-night contractors who may try to offer these services for exorbitant fees. Be sure to get quotes in writing in advance or seek out volunteer groups in your area that may be offering assistance for free.
If your home is unlivable, contact your utility company to turn off your water and gas or electric services.
Do not make any permanent repairs until you get approval from your insurance company. Make sure you understand how your homeowner's insurance company will reimburse your repair costs.
Before spending money, call your insurance company first to make sure all necessary procedures are followed according to your policy.
Beware of contractors who claim to be insurance claim specialists and may ask you to sign an agreement to allow them to contact your insurance company and seek approval of repairs for you.
Many unscrupulous businesses have tricked consumers into signing a work estimate without reading the fine print, which commits you to automatically contract with their business if your insurance claim is approved.
Check to make sure any contractors you are considering hiring are properly licensed and have up-to-date workers compensation and liability insurance.
Check out their Business Profile on BBB.org and make sure they are approved by your insurance company before entering an agreement. Ask to see proof of their licensing and current certificate of insurance.
Be aware that if you hire an uninsured and unlicensed contractor and a serious injury were to occur to the contractor, you, as the person that hired them, could potentially be liable for paying the workers compensation benefits. This could turn a simple $1,000 repair into a bill for tens of thousands more.
In addition, a neighboring property or a pedestrian that is negligently harmed by an unlicensed contractor can become a liability to the person that hired the contractor.
Do not hand over an insurance check to a contractor for repairs prior to work being started.
A good rule of thumb is to never give more than 1/3 of the job price up front and make sure that your insurance company has approved all repairs before your final payment is given to the business.
Disaster victims should never feel pressured to make a decision by an unknown contractor.
BBB warns property owners affected by disasters, to beware of “travelers”—out-of-towncontractors soliciting your business.They may use high pressure sales tactics, require full payment upfront or require you to get the necessary permits. Although not all“travelers” are scammers, they may lack the proper licensing for your area, offer quick fixes or make big promises they can’t deliver.
After determining what your insurance provides and what local and state disaster assistance is available, BBB offers the following tips to help you recover from a natural disaster:
Do your research. Find businesses in your area you can trust at BBB.org. BBB has Business Reviews on thousands of contractors. Check your state’s government agency responsible for registering and/or licensing contractors.
Resist high-pressure sales. Some traveling contractors use tactics such as the “good deal” you’ll get only if you hire the contractor on the spot. Be pro-active in selecting a contractor and not re-active to sales calls or door-to-door pitches.
Be especially careful of door-to-door contractors. Many municipalities require a solicitation permit if sales people go door-to-door.
Ask for identification. Check their vehicle for a business name, phone number, and license plates for your state.
Conduct at least three interviews. Allow a full hour for each interview. Make absolutely certain that the company has a physical location in your area and you know where the company is headquartered.
Get quotes in writing. Don’t accept estimates over the phone and be wary of very low estimates, which could set up a “bait and switch” tactic.
If you have been scammed by a fraudulent contractor, besides lost money, you face the possibility of insurance claim denial or accusations of insurance fraud.
If your insurance policy has been lost or destroyed or if you are confused about the policy benefits or exclusions, contact your insurance company to find out what coverages you have and request a copy of the policy.
BBB offers the following tips when dealing with insurance after a disaster strikes:
If you are looking to assist survivors of a disaster and their families, BBB offers the following tips to decide where to direct donations and how survivors can find reliable charities for aid:
Be cautious when giving online. If you are seeking to make a donation to a charitable organization involved in relief efforts, go directly to the charity’s website.
BBB Wise Giving Alliance - Give.org - evaluates charities using the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability to help donors find trusted charities. It is free of charge to donors and charities.
Rely on expert opinion when it comes to evaluating a charity. Be careful when relying on third-party recommendations from bloggers or other websites, as they might not have fully researched the listed relief organizations.
Verify with your local and state agencies that the charity is registered and research them on BBB.org or Give.org.
If a charity claims that %100 of donations will assist the victims, do your research to verify that assertion. For donations given to help the victims impacted by a specific disaster, some charities do give 100% of the collected funds to the relief effort.
Verify if the charity has an on-the-ground presence in the impacted areas. See if the charity’s website clearly describes what they can do to address immediate needs.
Watch out for charities that don’t already have staff in the affected areas as they may not be able to provide assistance quickly.
Verify if the charity is providing direct aid or has hired “middlemen” to solicit donations. Some organizations hire professional fundraisers and a large portion of the donations is used to pay the solicitor’s salary.
BBB advises giving contributions directly to charities that have a presence in the region and not make a pledge to a telemarketer who claims to be collecting on behalf of a charity.
At a minimum, check out the ultimate recipients of these donations to ensure the organizations are equipped to effectively provide aid.
