Condo Media - June 2010 - 17

MASSACHUSETTS C A I

When Floodwaters Recede
An Owner’s Tale of Recovery
n early March, I diligently checked my basement after three days of nonstop rain and went to bed that night thinking I had made it through the storm. My sump pump was running constantly, but not a drop of water had entered my basement. On the fourth and final day of the storm, I took a quick peek in the basement before heading off to work and thought I saw a reflection at the bottom of the stairs. I turned on the light and was greeted by eight inches of water throughout my basement.

R e g i o n a l

Immediate Response and Insurance
There were no pumps to be had and the restoration companies were extremely busy. The fire department came and turned off the power to the burner and the immediate emergency was over. A few days later, the basement was dry but totally destroyed. All the items stored in the basement were thrown out and the finished part of the basement was a total loss. My only question was: “What help was available to deal with the situation?” The first call I made was to my insurance agent. However, I knew I did not have flood insurance and, therefore, would have no insurance coverage. The first purpose of this article is to point out that if you haven’t already done so, notify your insurance carrier. I was very surprised to learn that my homeowner’s policy included an endorsement for sump pump issues. Many years ago, a sump pump had been installed in my house and it was operational. However, my insurance company advised that since the sump pump had not kept up with the water, I was entitled to receive insurance

proceeds totaling $2,500. That $2,500 worth of coverage certainly will help with the clean-up. Two weeks later, during a second storm, my basement sadly flooded again and we again dealt with the cleaning up and drying out process. I again contacted my insurance agent regarding the sump pump issue and was told that I could put in another claim for another $2,500. At this point in time, I have not decided whether I will make such a claim. The reason I haven’t submitted the second claim yet is my agent advised that a second claim may put my policy at risk of not being renewed. The valuable lesson is that sometimes you have insurance coverage for unexpected disasters so you should always contact your insurance agent.

FEMA Assistance
Once President Obama declared my county a disaster area, FEMA assistance was available. It is amazing the number of programs that are available based on different factors; I was initially told I qualified for 13 different types of programs. In the end, the program that interested me was a grant to help fix the damage done to my home. I took the route of applying for disaster relief via telephone, which entailed a 15-minute interview over the phone, which was painless. Surprisingly, I received a phone call within a day from an inspector who was willing to make an appointment and inspect my house any time within the next three days. I was somewhat surprised at the efficiency of our Federal Government. In addition, the inspector arrived the next day at the time he said he would and spent 25 minutes in my home inspecting the damage. The inspector measured both

the finished and unfinished portions of my basement in order to determine the amount of funds available. He also measured the baseboard heating system and the essential utilities. So far, the experience has been simple and efficient. But, unfortunately, at the time this article was due, I do not yet know the outcome. I have been told that if I qualified for a grant, the funds would be available and mailed to my house or electronically transferred within 10 days of the inspection by the FEMA agent. Two days after the inspection, I received in the mail a package confirming all of this information together with loan application forms for low interest loans. I now have my fingers crossed and am waiting for the 10-day period to elapse, and I am curious as to what the Federal Government will send me. Although there are certainly guidelines for what qualifies as disaster relief, any one can apply. The basic concept of what the FEMA grants are trying to remedy, is to put your house in a safe and sanitary condition. For more information about FEMA assistance or to apply for disaster relief you can go to the FEMA Web site at www.fema.gov or call (800) 621-FEMA. If you had water in your home, it is worth a call to both your insurance agent and FEMA to determine what, if any, funding is available. CM Story Update The author contacted Condo Media at press time to inform us that a check for several thousand dollars had in fact been received from FEMA. It was also noted that the check arrived in the mail just six days following the FEMA agent’s inspection.

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CONDO MEDIA • JUNE 2010

http://www.fema.gov

Condo Media - June 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Condo Media - June 2010