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Flood Information Center

Applying for FEMA Assistance

The President has declared the following counties in Bart's district to be federal disaster areas: Cannon, Clay, DeKalb, Jackson, Macon, Marshall, Robertson, Rutherford, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale and Wilson. Residents of these counties can apply for property damage assistance online at www.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA.

Additional counties may be added to the disaster declaration at a later time.

Local Flood help

• Call the Red Cross at 615-250-4250 www.redcross.org with questions about current local assistance.

• United Way's 211 service can connect callers with roughly 7,000 programs in Middle Tennessee that offer assistance with food, clothing and shelter, among others. Call 2-1-1

How to help

• Middle Tennessee Kroger locations are collecting donations of money and non-perishable items for the American Red Cross and Second Harvest Food Bank to aid flood victims.

• In Wilson County, the Lebanon/Wilson County Chamber of Commerce is coordinating volunteer cleanup efforts. To get or offer help, call 615-444-5503.

Insurance

Here are tips from the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance on interacting with insurance companies:

• Locate a copy of your policy and read through it.

• Contact your insurance carrier or your agent as soon as possible after damage.

• Make a thorough inventory of all missing or damaged items.

• Take pictures inside and out for documentation before repairs are made.

• Secure and protect your property against further rain or other damage without making permanent repairs, so an adjuster can see the full extent of damage.

• Keep receipts any for expenses required to protect your property from further damage.

• Follow the claims-filing procedure set forth in your policy. If there is a dispute, follow the company's dispute process.

• Settlement offers can be negotiated. You don't have to take the first offer.

• If you have issues with an insurance company, call the Department of Commerce and Insurance at 1-800-342-4029.

• Avoid unscrupulous, unlicensed contractors who take advantage of homeowners eager to rebuild after disasters by hiring only licensed contractors. Consumers may verify a license status by calling 1-800-544-7693 or checking online at http://licsrch.state.tn.us/.

For noninsurance issues, call the Consumer Affairs hot line, 1-800-342-8385.

Here are telephone numbers to file claims with some of the largest home insurers in Tennessee:

• State Farm Fire and Casualty Co., 1-800-732-5246

• Farm Bureau Insurance, 1-800-836-6327

• Allstate Insurance Co., 1-800-767-7619

• Nationwide Insurance Co., 1-800-421-3535

• Traveler's Insurance Co., 1-800-252-4633

• Farmers Insurance Group 1-800-435-7764

• USAA (United Services Auto Association), 1-800-531-8111

• Foremost Insurance Co., 1-800-527-3907