You have had a catastrophic loss to your home and possessions, you are very upset and do not know where to begin!

The first thing you should do is protect any property that is still standing, if it is your home and part of the roof is damaged you should cover and protect all your items that are in danger of being damaged any further. Always have a tarp on hand when possible and put it over the damaged section of your roof, if you are unable to do so, Fema will send contractors out to install them for you at no cost to you.

These are called "blue roofs" because the vinyl tarps are blue, this will allow you to stay in your home and will protect your interior from further damage. Your Home Owners Insurance requires you to cover and protect your property from any further damage so be prepared to do so.

The second thing you should do is to contact your insurance agent or company and have them send an Adjuster out to scope your damage and prepare your claim. With any catastrophic event your Insurance Adjuster will be knee deep in claims so please be patient and he will get to you in a timely manner.While you are waiting for him make a list of all your items that were damaged or missing.

As for your contents loss, which is your personal items, it always helps if the Home Owner makes a list with the damaged or missing items, when they were purchased and approximately what you paid for them, this will speed up your claim process. If you live in an area that is prone to hurricanes you should make your list before the storm hits and keep it updated and in a safe, dry place.

We have all heard the old saying, "A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words", well that is never truer than in this situation. Take photos of your possessions and put them in a safe place so when the time comes you can show the Adjuster just how organized you are. This will go along way in getting your claim settled as fast as possible.

Never discard any personal items before they have been inspected without the permission of your Adjuster, not your Insurance Agent, your Adjuster. Only in certain situations, if you have photos and if your Agent has looked at the items will you be allowed to discard your personal property before the Adjuster has inspected it.

These are just a few things that should be on your list and I promise it will speed up your claim process and make a bad situation better. Do not lie to your Adjuster, this will only cause you more problems, your Adjuster will work with you, if you will work with him.