Hurricane Harvey insurance claims will be a topic for discussion for some time. The emotional impact of seeing the violation of one’s home or business caused by mother nature cannot be overstated. We work and toil to build homes to live in and places to work. It will be only natural for those affected by Hurricane Harvey to feel deep depression upon the return home. Memories and dreams are shattered with the shock of destruction. When I am asked to come into a community following a disaster and talk about insurance claims, I start with a discussion about the emotional toll those in the community are experiencing. Depression following loss is human. It is best to acknowledge these feelings, know that others are feeling the same thing, and that it is perfectly fine to have sadness and a feeling of loss.

I wrote this introduction to a delightful book, Winds Over Bolivar:

For nearly 30 years, I have made my living helping people following catastrophic events in which their businesses and homes are damaged or destroyed. Some disasters are isolated incidents, and some involve entire communities. On September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike devastated the Bolivar Peninsula, located near Galveston Island. Bolivar and its residents will never be the same, physically or emotionally.

It is difficult to describe to others the sense of helplessness, frustration, and despair people feel when their homes, jobs, and friends vanish overnight. The community is destroyed. In its place are bewildering and often overwhelming rules regarding emergency situations, insurance, and possible rebuilding. The people in Bolivar suffered as much as any community could from a natural catastrophe. Sadly, many will never return to their neighborhoods.

The entire purpose of insurance is to provide a financial safety net to help relieve some of these emotional concerns. The peace of mind to know that you have purchased a product that will help reduce the utter depression of a financial catastrophe following a natural catastrophe is what the insurance product was intended to do. I wrote about how insurance reduces stress in The Emotional Impact of Catastrophes.

So, while still suffering the shock and misery of having a loss caused by Hurricane Harvey, call the insurance agent, and report the loss and claim. Insurance is there to help soften the impact. The sooner you start by making the claim, the sooner the insurance product can fulfill the promise made to you long ago and before Hurricane Harvey was in anybody’s mind.

While we will write a lot of specific and helpful information regarding Hurricane Harvey insurance claims issues, here are some other helpful initial insurance claims tips which should help with Hurricane Harvey insurance claims:

Positive Thought of The Day

“Nobody is exempt from the trials of life, but everyone can always find something positive in everything even in the worst of times.”
― Roy T. Bennett