Handling Flood Claims During Hurricane Season

FACT: In September, 1999, Hurricane Floyd made landfall at Cape Fear, North Carolina as a Category 2 hurricane, with 105 mph winds. It produced heavy rainfall, which led to extensive power outages and severe flooding, that damaged thousands of homes. At the time, it was considered the most catastrophic storm in 40 years–not because of the wind, but because of the rain.

It’s a widely held belief, that the higher the storm category number, the greater the destruction the storm will leave in its wake. The strength of a hurricane (categorized by the Saffir-Simpson scale) is based on wind speed. A tropical storm becomes a hurricane once its sustained winds reach up to 74 miles per hour. As wind speed intensifies, the storm category may increase from a level 1 to a level 5.

But, numbers can be deceiving. An exception to this rule was exemplified in Hurricane Sally’s recent hit to our southeastern coast. Making landfall as a Category 2 storm (with 105 mph winds) Sally decreased to a Category 1. As she slowly moved in, communities along the AL/FL gulf coast saw torrential rains and storm surges leaving half a million Americans without power for days.

Though Sally may have lacked the wind speeds of her CAT 5 predecessors– storms like Irma and Katrina with winds that were powerful enough to flatten buildings and turn loose debris into projectile ammunition– Sally’s sluggish speed allowed more time to inundate the coastline with torrential rainfall.

No Water Too Deep

In anticipation of the vastly fluctuating weather patterns and rising sea levels, Vector Risk flood adjusters are experienced in handling large quantities and varieties of claims associated with catastrophic flooding in the southeastern United States. Our policyholders own residential, manufactured, travel and trailer homes, as well as small commercial and large commercial buildings. Dealing with a flood loss is devastating on any scale, and it is imperative to work with a firm that is equipped to handle the stress and overwhelm that will certainly accompany a calamitous storm season. 

Each year the chances for flooding are predictably high in our territories, and 2020 is distinctly no exception. We keep our process simple, so as to carry out tranquil, solution-oriented protocol amidst what are often dramatically chaotic circumstances. Upon receiving an assignment, an NFIP certified flood adjuster will come out to inspect the property as soon as the flood waters begin to recede. At Vector Risk Solutions, our professionals work efficiently to quickly assess damages and expedite the claims process.

We’ll Keep You Afloat

Property owners along and inland of the Gulf Coast are on high alert that they need protection against catastrophic flood damage, and insurers are experiencing an unprecedented influx of more claims to process. With hundreds of experienced, skilled and licensed adjusters on our roster, we are not only equipped to handle a variety of claims, but are able to give special attention to a large quantity of new cases at once. Our clients consistently report significantly lower adjustment expenses and greater customer satisfaction after working with our firm. 

At Vector, we understand that the nature of flood loss is complex, and each flood claim is unique. If your policyholder is experiencing a catastrophic flood loss and you need to provide them with a reliable, trusted, and accurate adjuster, look no further. 

Contact Vector Risk Solutions today and get out ahead of the next storm.