The severe weather that swept through Louisiana on Wednesday, including tornadoes in Slidell and Lake Charles, caused extensive property damage across Louisiana. Commissioner Tim Temple has been in contact with elected officials from the affected areas to offer assistance from the Louisiana Department of Insurance.

“My prayers are with our friends and neighbors who are dealing with significant property damage following today’s storms,” Temple said. “I urge policyholders to assess the damage and contact their insurer first to file a claim as quickly as possible.”

The LDI offers the following tips on filing a claim for property damage after a severe weather event:

Contact your insurance company or agent first to file a claim. If possible, have your policy number and an initial assessment of the damage ready. Make sure your agent and insurance company have your correct contact information.

Take pictures or video of the damage before cleaning up. Visually document the damage before cleaning up or making temporary repairs. Attempt to separate damaged personal property items from undamaged items, but do not throw them away. Keeping these items will help the claims adjuster complete an inventory of the items lost.

Make temporary repairs that are necessary to secure your property. You have an obligation to mitigate further damage by taking actions such as putting a tarp on your roof and boarding up broken windows. Keep your receipts for expenses incurred in taking these temporary measures.

When an adjuster visits your property, ask for identification. You can call the LDI or visit our website to verify his or her licensure.

For more information, contact the LDI by calling 1-800-259-5300 or visiting www.ldi.la.gov.