Some good practical advice.
Steve
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Getting an insurance claim paid is a real pain. Rick Kahler, the dauntless president of Kahler Financial Group in Rapid City, S.D., gives some secrets about how to cope with the insurance industry. Rick, a financial advice polymath, is known in the advisor world for his complex grasp of intricate subjects and his common-sense solutions. His take:
Getting claims money from your insurer for property damage is time-consuming and annoying. But it helps if you have the right mental attitude: The insurance company is not your friend, but your adversary.
Homeowners on the East Coast are finding that out after Hurricane Sandy attacked and did her worst. Cleaning up the mess she left behind will take months and even years.
Even dealing with damage from much smaller disasters can take a long time. As an example, in July 2011 a severe storm with baseball-sized hail moved through southern Rapid City, where I live. It only took nature a few minutes to flatten gardens, beat up vehicles and damage buildings. It will probably take until the second anniversary of the storm to repair all the damage to our house.