Action Plan for Disaster Relief Victims for Adairsville, GA

1. Adairsville, Georgia Disaster Relief Action Plan and List of Resources
There are many ways to get assistance after a natural disaster. The following steps will help explain ways to
search for assistance you may qualify for from agencies and from organizations.
Step 1 - Get Assistance - If there is Federal Disaster Declaration for the state of Georgia, you will need to
contact FEMA. To find out if a declaration for Georgia has been issued click here:
http://www.fema.gov/news/disasters.fema
Online Registration: http://www.fema.gov/ Phone Registration: TTY 1-800-462-7585
1-800-621-FEMA (3362) (speech & hearing impaired)
Help After Disaster booklet – http://www.fema.gov/pdf/about/process/help_after_disaster_english.pdf
Also contact The Red Cross – www.redcross.org
Step 2 - Within 24 hours, file a Homeowners, Renters, and/or Auto Insurance claim.
 Request a copy of your policy to assist you with understanding your coverages
 Ask the insurance adjuster if they can cut a check for “debris removal” of your home or to cover the cost of
debris removal and supplies (tarps, etc.) to secure your home from further damage.
 If your house is deemed uninhabitable by the insurance company and you have to relocate ask about
“Additional Living Expense” coverage to provide upfront money for relocation costs. Be sure to keep a
record of all expenses with receipts.
 If you have “Replacement Cost” coverage, items should be replaced with the new version of that item.
 As work is done on rebuilding your home all work should be covered to bring up to code per the “ordinance
of law” and is part of all homeowner policies.
 If your house is a total loss you should receive 100% of the face value of your homeowner policy plus a
minimum of 50% of the face value for contents
 If a vehicle is totaled, search for a like, kind and quality vehicle: same year make, model, and features on
eBay, Craigslist, AutoTrader.com, and local newspapers. Print and send copies to your claims adjuster if
they are not offering a reasonable amount to replace vehicle or ask for them to replace vehicle with exact
duplicate.
 As a homeowner, your insurance company expects you to prevent further damage to your dwelling and
property. If you keep track of your hours and materials used to do protect your property against further
damage you can use this information to turn in against your deductible or for reimbursement for your time
and materials. Talk to your adjuster for specifics related to your policy.
 If you have any questions about policy coverage, reimbursement, or about any documents you are asked
to sign, contact the State Insurance Commission - 404-656-2070 http://www.inscomm.state.ga.us/
Step 3 - Contact your Utility Companies - Report power outages, damage to meters, down wires, leaks, or if
you have had to relocate out of your home due to damages. Inquire about assistance programs with utility bills
for storm victims. Adairsville Water Department (770) 773-2588 - Atlanta Gas Light 770-994-1946, Georgia
Power 1-888-660-5890 – Adairsville 770-769-9366. Greystone Power 770-942-6576, Georgia Natural
Gas/Atlanta Gas - 770-850-6200, Scana Energy 770-907-4231, or your propane provider.
Step 4 - Contact your Mortgage Company - Inform them that you have filed a homeowners insurance claim
and ask if payments can be deferred or added to the end of the mortgage, if you can pay interest only
payments for a specified time, or if they will spread any past due amounts over the next few months.
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(The information above was gathered from Insurance agents, government agencies, FEMA, Insurance
Commission – not a guarantee of service)
Copyright 2013 - www.thelifeboat.info - Rev A – 02.02.13
Permission to copy and distribute.