What Isaias left behind in Georgia
Isaias made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane about 9:30 p.m. Friday near Destin, Florida, and crossed Georgia on Saturday (AJC). It downed trees and power lines across the state, leaving more than 120,000 Georgia customers without power at one point Saturday. Metro Atlanta got more than 4 inches of rain (AJC).
Georgia Power restored more than 90,000 customers by Saturday afternoon (AJC). About 20,000 were still without power later, and utilities hadn't given an exact restoration timeline (FOX 5 Atlanta).
A tree fell on a house in Tucker (AJC). In Rockdale County, a falling tree crushed a parked car about two feet from a home. In Brookhaven, a tree fell at a house on Oconee Pass NE and broke the sprinkler line, causing a water leak. Crews worked on a tree in the lines on Valley Creek Drive in Stone Mountain (FOX 5 Atlanta).
In the North Georgia mountains, saturated soil let wind push trees onto houses, power lines, and vehicles. Amicalola EMC had more than 7,000 customers out, mostly in Pickens, Gilmer, and Lumpkin counties (FOX 5 Atlanta). Trees blocked roads in Rabun County's Sky Valley (Now Georgia), and fallen trees triggered travel alerts in Coweta, Jones, Monroe, and Pickens counties (AJC).
The National Weather Service detected at least one tornado in Screven County Saturday afternoon (AJC; WJCL). A radar-indicated tornado warning for Butts and Jasper counties near Jackson Lake expired at 9:30 p.m. (FOX 5 Atlanta).
A federal emergency declaration covers 76 Georgia counties, including Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, Cherokee, Clayton, Coweta, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Hall, Henry, Pickens, Gilmer, Lumpkin, and Rockdale (FOX 5 Atlanta).
What to do now, in order
- Stay safe first. Stay away from downed lines, and don't climb on a wet roof. If a tree is on the house, let a tree crew remove it.
- Photograph and video everything before cleanup. Get the tree on the roof, the ceiling stains, the wet insulation, the fence, the car, and the broken limbs on the ground. Take wide shots and close-ups, and narrate the video.
- Stop further damage. Tarp the roof, board broken windows, and pull wet carpet and pad. Your policy expects reasonable steps to prevent more damage, and those costs are usually reimbursed. Keep every receipt.
- Save the tree company's invoice and photos. Ask them to note in writing that the tree fell on the structure.
- Report the claim and get the claim number in writing. Write down the date, time, and the name of everyone you speak with.
- Find your declarations page. Look for a hurricane, named-storm, or windstorm deductible and an Other Structures limit.
- Don't sign a contractor's assignment of benefits or accept a final payment until the scope is reviewed.
- Watch for hidden damage. Wet attic insulation and drywall can grow mold within days. Check ceilings and attics now, not next month.
Where Isaias claims get underpaid
01 Tree damage scoped too small
The adjuster pays for the hole in the roof and a few shingles, but misses cracked rafters, damaged decking, the gutter line, interior ceilings, and the fence or shed the tree also hit.
Counter: walk the attic with a flashlight and photograph the framing. Get a contractor's full written scope before you accept the estimate.
Look past the hole in the roof02 Wind-driven rain called flood
Water that came in through a wind-damaged roof or window is usually covered. Water that rose from the ground is flood. Carriers sometimes lump them together.
Counter: photograph exactly where the water entered. See Wind-Driven Rain vs. Flood: How Georgia Tropical Storm Claims Get Decided.
Where the water came in decides the claim03 The wrong deductible applied
A hurricane or named-storm deductible can be a percentage of your dwelling limit, which can be thousands of dollars more than your regular deductible. Whether it applies to this storm depends on your policy's trigger language.
Counter: read the deductible section with Amanda before you accept a number.
Read the trigger, not just the labelCall Amanda: free review of your Isaias claim
Tree on the roof, water in the ceiling, or a number from the carrier that doesn't look right? Call Amanda at 678-496-6916. She'll tell you in 15 minutes whether your claim is being handled right. No fee unless the carrier pays.
Frequently asked questions
A tree fell on my house during Isaias. Is it covered?
In most Georgia homeowners policies, yes. Wind is a covered peril, and a tree that falls on your house, garage, fence, or other structure is generally covered, including removing the tree from the structure and repairing the damage. Take photos before anything is cut or moved, and keep every invoice from the tree company.
A tree fell in my yard but didn't hit anything. Will insurance pay to remove it?
Often not, or only a small amount. Many policies pay for tree removal only when the tree hits a covered structure or blocks a driveway or ramp, and even then removal is usually capped. Check your policy's debris-removal section before you pay out of pocket.
Does my hurricane deductible apply?
It depends on your policy. Look at your declarations page for a hurricane, named-storm, or windstorm deductible, then read what triggers it. Some are triggered by a National Hurricane Center watch or warning, some only cover certain counties, and many inland Georgia policies don't have one at all. Isaias was post-tropical by the time it crossed North Georgia, so the wording matters. Ask Amanda to read it with you before you accept a deductible.
Water came into my house. Is that flood or wind?
Rising water from outside, like a creek, standing water, or runoff coming in at ground level, is flood and is excluded from a standard homeowners policy unless you have separate flood coverage. Rain that came in because wind damaged your roof, a window, or a wall is usually covered. That line decides the whole claim, so photograph where the water came in.
Does the FEMA emergency declaration pay for my damage?
Not directly. The emergency declaration approved for 76 Georgia counties authorizes FEMA to coordinate relief and emergency response. It isn't the same as individual assistance for homeowners. For most people, your own insurance policy is the main way your home gets repaired.
My food spoiled when the power went out. Is that covered?
Only if your policy includes food-spoilage or utility-interruption coverage. Many standard policies don't. Check your endorsements, and keep a list and photos either way.
The bottom line
Isaias is gone, but the clock on your claim just started. Document before you clean up, stop further damage, and keep every receipt. The first number from the carrier is a starting point, not the final word.
Call Amanda at 678-496-6916. Licensed Georgia public adjuster, Georgia license 777802.