TAMPA, Fla. – Sept. 15, 2017 – Helping Florida residents get their homes - and lives – back to normal in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma is our highest priority at American Integrity Insurance. The Tampa-based home insurance company has mobilized its disaster recovery team and will deploy its mobile catastrophe unit to Ft. Myers, Naples, Jacksonville and St. Augustine to help customers who have been affected by Hurricane Irma.
Policyholders who live in those areas and whose homes have been impacted by Hurricane Irma are encouraged to stop by the unit to file a claim or ask any questions. American Integrity will be at the Department of Financial Services (DFS) insurance village’s following locations on these dates:
St. Augustine – Monday, September 18th – 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
St. Johns County Administration Building
500 San Sebastian View
St. Augustine, FL 32804
Jacksonville – Tuesday, September 19th – 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center
1000 Water Street
Jacksonville, FL 32204
Naples – Wednesday, September 20th – 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
New Hope Ministries Event Center
7675 Davis Blvd
Naples, FL 34104
Ft. Myers – Thursday, September 21st – 8:00 am - 6:00 pm
Lee County Veterans Park Recreation Center
55 Homestead Road South
Lehigh Acres, FL 33936
Customers who are not in these areas and unable to visit the unit can call 844-My-AIIC-1 to file a claim or go online at IntegrityStormResponse.com.
“We are here to help our policyholders get their lives and homes back in order,” says Bob Ritchie, President and CEO of American Integrity Insurance. “While some people may prefer to call, or file a claim online, others prefer to simply talk to someone face to face during this difficult time. At the insurance villages, we will be able to answer questions, help customers file a claim, or simply just be there to speak to our policyholders after this powerful hurricane that has affected so many Floridians.”
American Integrity emphasizes the importance of filing a claim quickly: It can help expedite the recovery process and can also help customers avoid scams.
“After a storm, some unscrupulous contractors could try to take advantage of hard working Floridians who are simply trying to restore their homes,” says Matt Monahan, Senior Vice President of Claims at American Integrity Insurance. “It’s a good idea for consumers to avoid contractors who knock on their door soliciting their business. We can’t emphasize how critically important it is for homeowners to work directly with their insurance company throughout the claims process to help them steer clear of scams.”
All consumers should refrain from signing paperwork they don’t understand, especially any that include an Assignment of Benefits (AOB) clause. Such contracts include words to the effect of, “I transfer and assign any and all insurance rights, benefits and causes of action under my property insurance policy to the contractor.”
When you sign an Assignment of Benefits contract, you may give up your rights to your claim under your homeowner’s policy, give up your rights to any money for your damage to that contract, and possibly no longer have control or legal right to your claim. In worst case scenarios, contractors could place a lien on a customer’s home for unpaid services – and contractor’s liens in Florida are enforceable by foreclosure.
American Integrity recommends following these steps if you’ve experienced damage to your home:
- Safety first. If you need to vacate your home because it is unlivable, keep all of your receipts for temporary lodging and other expenses.
- File your claim right away.
- If you do not have a home inventory list, create a list of the damaged items and include as much information as possible, such as model and manufacturers’ numbers, receipts and photographs.
- Take photographs of the damage.
- Protect your property by making temporary, not permanent, repairs to prevent further damage.
- Read all paperwork carefully and ask for recommendations and credentials when selecting a contractor.
It’s important to note that after a storm, American Integrity responds to claims based on severity. After helping customers who have been displaced from their homes, adjusters will reach out to policyholders based on the level of damage sustained by their home.
“While we’re striving to get the claims process started for all of our customers as quickly as possible, we’ve got to help those whose homes are uninhabitable first – providing them with shelter, food and clothing,” Monahan says.
For more information about American Integrity Insurance, visit www.aiicfl.com, call 866-968-8390, or visit their catastrophe response unit at the dates and locations listed above. To file a tropical storm or hurricane-related claim, please call 844-MY-AIIC-1 or go to https://aiicfl.com/manage-claims/report-a-claim.
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About American Integrity Insurance Group (American Integrity)
American Integrity Insurance is the fifth largest Florida domiciled residential property insurer with more than 260,000 customers and represented by more than 900 independent agents. The Tampa-based company offers sound and comprehensive property insurance solutions, including traditional home insurance and coverage for vacant homes, condominiums, manufactured homes, dwelling fire, umbrella, golf cart and X-Wind policies.
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