How do you make an insurance claim after hurricane damage in Sint Maarten?

Key facts

What should I do first after hurricane damage?

Make sure everyone is safe, and only then think about the claim. Stay away from damaged structures, loose power lines and standing water, and follow the instructions of the authorities. Insurance can wait a few hours; people cannot.

What are the steps to make a claim?

Follow them in this order where you can. Step 1 follows an insurer’s published process; the rest are general practice that most claims processes expect, and your policy wording decides.

1. Notify your insurer or broker. Do this as soon as it is safe. An insurer’s published claim form, such as NAGICO’s, asks for the policy number, the date and approximate time of the loss, a description of what happened and supporting files.
2. Check your policy. Find the claims conditions, the deductible and the exclusions. Note any time limit for reporting or for sending documents.
3. Protect the property from further damage. General practice is to take reasonable temporary steps, such as covering openings, and to keep every receipt. Ask before doing anything permanent.
4. Document the damage before cleaning up. Take photographs and video of each room and item, including wide shots, and write down what happened.
5. Keep damaged items until the insurer has said you may dispose of them, unless they are a health hazard. In that case photograph them first.
6. Make a list. Note each damaged item with its age, where it was bought and an estimate of its value.
7. Gather the documents in the table below.
8. Cooperate with the assessment. The insurer may appoint someone to inspect the damage. Show them everything and ask for a copy of any report.
9. Review the settlement. Check how the deductible, limits and any depreciation were applied. Ask for an explanation of anything unclear.

Which documents should I gather?

How long does a claim take, and what are the deadlines?

There is no single answer, because the time limit for notifying a claim, and the time the insurer needs to assess it, depend on your policy and on how many claims the insurer is handling. The insurers’ pages cited here ask for prompt notification but do not state a general deadline, so the deadline in your own policy wording is the one that counts. Ask your insurer or broker what the policy requires and what the insurer expects for the next stage.

What are the common difficulties with a storm claim?

• Missing records: an inventory with photos taken before the storm makes it much easier to show what was lost.
• Late notice: waiting can create problems if the policy has a time limit.
• Unclear wording on flood and wind: damage from a storm can involve both, and policies may treat them differently.
• Business interruption: income lost while closed is often a separate extension with its own waiting period.

What if I disagree with the insurer’s decision?

Ask the insurer to explain it in writing, point to the policy wording it relied on, and give it any further evidence. Insurers have their own complaints routes, and a broker can help you prepare your case.

How can a broker help with a claim?

A broker can help you read the policy, notify the claim, gather the documents and keep the conversation with the insurer moving. The insurer, not the broker, decides the claim. The claims assistance page describes what Enterprise Insurance can help with.