ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. — Navigating insurance after a hurricane can be a disaster in itself for homeowners. That’s why State Farm has opened a catastrophe site in St. Pete, offering homeowners a chance to file their claims and speak to someone in person.

NAVIGATING INSURANCE

St. Pete homeowner Amy Petrucelli’s home flooded during Hurricane Helene, but the flood insurance doesn’t cover her pool damage, so she also has to file a claim for homeowner’s insurance through Citizens while she cleans up nearly three feet of water inside her South Pasadena home.

“It’s tough,” Petrucelli said. “I’ve been making calls at night.”

Two claims that she’s hoping will pay out so she can rebuild.

“I just want to get what I deserve, to replace everything. That’s it. I don’t want anything more,” Petrucelli said.

She said that between her flood insurance policy and homeowners’ insurance, she’s paying upwards of $10,000 a month. She’s grateful to have the coverage, but now she fears her rates will only go up more.

“The rates are all going to rise now, aren’t they? It’s terrible,” she said.

TIPS FOR FILING A CLAIM

State Farm spokesperson Michal Brower told ABC Action News since Hurricane Helene hit Florida Thursday night, they’ve already received more than 9,800 claims for both auto and property insurance.

“Even though it might be scary to file a claim, if you think about it, it’s one of the things that’s going to help you recover,” Brower said.

The insurance company has opened a Catastrophe Customer Care Site at the Home Depot on Tyrone Boulevard in St. Pete offering auto and homeowners a chance to speak to an agent in person.

State Farm also offers these tips for homeowners filing a claim.

• When it is safe to do so, residents with property damage should have reasonable temporary repairs made to prevent further damage to their property to remove debris and cover any openings created by the storm. Depending on your coverage, these repairs may be reimbursed.
• Save receipts if you purchase items such as tarps and plywood or other supplies to make repairs.
• Leave cleaning to the professionals, as some floodwaters contain contaminants that may pose serious health hazards during cleanup.
• Contact your insurance agent as soon as possible to report home damage, initiate the claim process, and discuss your coverage.

INSURANCE COVERAGE FEARS

ABC Action News asked Brower about fears homeowners face when filing a claim after a major storm like Helene. Specifically when many fear their insurance companies won’t pay out the coverage they deserve.

“That’s what we are here for, and we are going to meet you wherever you are at,” Brower said. “That’s what our customer service agents are for, to talk you through the process, so that hopefully it will help, will help relieve some of the fears that people might have.”

When asked if we can expect rates to rise, Brower said it isn’t because of who filed a claim or didn’t—instead, it’s based on the risk Florida poses to insurance companies.

“There isn’t a direct correlation between that and [filing a claim]. Rates are big-picture if you will. In other words, so rates reflect the risk in a certain area, right? So those rates, though, are going to be different for Floridians than, say, someone in Kansas,” Brower added.

Watch full interview with State Farm’s Michal Brower

Watch: Full interview with State Farm’s Michal Brower

FILING A STATE FARM CLAIM

As residents discover damage from the storm, State Farm encourages policyholders to file as soon as possible. State Farm customers submit a claim through a mobile app, by calling or emailing their State Farm agent, by calling 1-800-SFCLAIM, through our website at statefarm.com/claims, or by texting the word “CLAIM” to 62789 to receive a link to file a claim.