advice for victims of riots and disaster

travelling_2

i dont know where to put this in the forum. so if possible can you piut this in the correct section.

We lost everything last year through a fire in our home and were lucky to escape alive and can empathise with the victims. we lost all our id, cash cards everything. its hard work establishing yourself and very expensive if you dont have access to any money.

1. get a secure postal address where you can have all your mail cards etc directed to/ friend family etc and get a mail redirection set up at the post office.

2 get a folder and save every reciept you never know when you will need them

3 contact your insurance compay and lodge a claim, ask them to send you a copy of your poilicy as soon as possible, and ask a friend of someone you trust to go through it with you. remeber you are in shock and will miss stuff.

4 the insurance company will appoint loss ajustors to establish cause and liability. once this is established then you can ask for an interim payment.

5 as soon as possible get back to the property and see if there is anything you can save. half burnt photos are still memories. we found our vehicle keys etc. take a shovel and rake etc. this will be hear breaking but essential. the cleaning crews dont care.

6 you will be contacted by numerous ambulance chasers and associated pond scum. DONT SIGN ANYTHING!!!!! if the building needs reinstating the loss adjustors will appoint a building surveyor or your can appoint your own. the thing to check is wether the cost of your accomodation comes out of your building or contents claim and what are the limits. then you can look for suitable acomodation.

7 if you can buy a net book, it doeant need to be expensive £150 from tesco and an internet dongle. this will get you online and you can keep in touch with your loss adjustor. look for accomodation etc etc. Save all your email corrrespondance in a file. you will need it later when you are wrangling with them.

8 start writng down your stuff as you remeber it. but the claim form doesnt have to be completed until YOU are ready. remeber you are in shock. dont be rushed or bullied. focus on the interim payment that is what you need NOW.

9 this is the hardest time you and your family will ever go through. and it is easy to turn on each other when you are dealing with the stress. stop and remember the love before all this happened and you are alive to agrue with each other. if you are friend offer practical help like going to initial meetings with the loss adjustor, reading paperwork with them if this is what they need.

hope this is of use.