From finding a new place to live to buying yourself clothes and toiletries, it’s expensive to survive the immediate aftermath of an emergency, so get familiar with any state laws regulating insurance companies on advanced payments.

For example, California, which has some of the strongest consumer protections in the nation, requires insurers to quickly pay out up to $250,000, or the equivalent of 30% of the policy’s dwelling coverage limit, when a state of emergency has been declared and the home is known to be a total loss. This is considered an advanced payment, which doesn’t require the homeowner to first itemize all their destroyed belongings or wait for an adjuster to access the site of the property.

If you aren’t able to connect with your insurer, look for emergency response centers in your community, which should provide state and federal troubleshooters to assist. They may also have information on what other aid, grants and subsidies are available to you in conjunction with or separate from your insurance benefits. Local businesses may also be there to offer freebies such as furniture or clothing.

Think about the rebuilding timeline

You will likely be displaced for months, or even years depending on how widespread the disaster was. For major wildfires, cleaning up the toxic burned site can take just as long as the entire new construction effort.

And during that time, you must continue to pay the mortgage on a property you can’t occupy.