Mass Evacuation Coverage: Most homeowners’ policies include some form of mass evacuation coverage. This coverage is available when a civil authority (police, other government body) issues a mandatory evacuation for the area in which you live. Additional living expenses generally cover shelter (hotel, rentals), food, and essentials like clothing. Many insurance providers will have their claims teams working long hours to help, but it may take some time for them to get back to you.
What you can do in the meantime: confirm your coverage with your Broker. They can start a claim for you and advise on your policy wording. Keep all receipts for out-of-pocket purchases.
Homes and Belongings Damaged by Fires: We suggest contacting your insurance provider as soon as you and your loved ones have settled safely, regardless of whether you know the existing state of your home. If your home or other insured items (e.g. vehicles) are within impacted areas, many insurance providers have teams who will begin surveillance of the areas to assess current or potential future damage. Expect delays in call returns, however know that insurance providers have catastrophic response teams who are working long hours to make sure that everyone is taken care of.
Insurance Brokers within your communities are here to help you with answering questions, starting the claims process, and guiding you in the process. Please feel free to ask any questions in the comments below, or send us a message. Although we can only answer policy specific questions for our own clients, we’re more than happy to provide high-level general advise where needed.