Sandy Victims Facing Hurdles Claiming Insurance Funds

Michael and Devorah Merwitz lost their entire first floor to flooding due to Superstorm Sandy, but still, they say, they are fortunate.

[LOL]

Good Morning! Unfortunately the time has passed but the wounds are not healed. It is a very difficult situation for me and my family who have been hurricane Sandy victim. I feel like I’m stuck between the fighting with flood insurance, homeowners insurance and the FEMA. Everyone is giving advises on what to do next to get a penny of help. For example FEMA told me that they will not give us any help until we submit the insurances denials letters. Are they expecting for them to deny the claim all along, or they know that it’s just a game to them. Now FEMA calls me at home when I at work and does not want to leave a message with my parents??? About what, you say?? Huh??? I call them back and it’s a letter that they will send to me about my appeal?? But wait a second I didn’t even got the original answer off denial period, who would appeal for me I didn't. FEMA told me to hire license contractor and to have him do the appraisal for my basement, I did it pay the guy $250 for a piece of paper, now what?? FEMA tells me it’s not the appraisal they need, so what the hell they want me to do now hire another one and pay him more. Why there are no guidelines on what and how things need to be done. I need help to recover on what it was lost not spend more on stupid appraisal because they need different one. And if they need it so bad and afraid of fraud they should do what ever appraisal they want themselves.

[Sandy Claims]

What the OP is describing is so common right now in NY and coastal NJ its sad. The whole insurance claim process is actually complicated when dealing with a substantial loss to one's largest investment, their home, and all of the related issues of trying to get back to work, dealing with living in a home that is feeling more like a science experiment, or having to stay in an over crowded hotel room, etc.

You also end up getting contradicting information/advice from anyone from the HO carrier adjuster, countless neighbors in similar situations, family members, various contractors, FEMA, with many people giving self serving advice. Its a mess!

Worse, the actual consumer protection professionals (public insurance adjusters in this industry) have been completely inundated with Super Storm Sandy victims that their availability is extremely limited as they are representing policyholders at full capacity as it is.

Although my job experience is more limited to personal property claims and insurance claim dispute arbitration, I work the NJ/NJ area and have seen first hand this type of issues going on.

If anyone like the OP has any questions, please post here and I will do my best to give some helpful insight.

Regards,

Thomas Di Sieno
Digitory Solutions, Inc.
Www.digitorysolutions.net to

[Susan Boyle]

Alot of my belongings were washed away in the storm and removed by the city during the debris removal. I thought my insurance adjuster would help with getting all of these items taken care of but now a few months in and he has just given me some sheets of paper and said me and my husband need to submit our claim or we won't be compensated. How do they expect us to do this?

[Denise b]

FEMA provided rental assistance and as a sm. Business owner, from my home as well, referred me to SBA for both loans. I suffered a total loss, personal and bsn related. I submitted the apps and was denied both. Asking for a sm. Amt on the request, upon denial, was referred back to FEMA. A check was issued, but less than loan request, and that amt was too low to meet my needs. That grant was personal prop loss,but now how do I replace busn losses. I tutor and books, desktops, diagnostic materials, etc.... are not covered, although I need these items for work, and reference materials related to my masters in cslg upon my return for the adv cert( second masters) grad program?
What can be done now?