GA insurance commissioner expecting onslaught of claims after Zeta

ATLANTA — Georgia’s insurance commissioner is expecting an onslaught of claims after Tropical Storm Zeta left a path of destruction across the northern part of the state.

Darlene Griffith is among them. She awoke early Thursday morning to whipping winds outside of her Forsyth County home.

“The next thing heard was a b-b-b-b-bump, on the roof, and all I remember is a piece of drywall hit me in the head,” she told Channel 2′s Mike Petchenik. “Next thing I know, I looked up and there’s a tree in my ceiling. Right over our bed. Four feet away from where I sleep.”

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Griffith’s son, David Mariano, said another tree that fell outside the Goldmine Road home, pushed the larger tree far enough over that it narrowly missed hitting Griffith while she slept.

“Just how precious life is,” said Mariano. “It’s those little things that can cause a magnitude of difference.”

Insurance Commissioner John King told Petchenik he expects homeowners with property damage will have a lot of questions about claims and coverage.

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“The storm was very fast, very high winds and really did some damage,” said King. “We already had a lot of accumulated rain, so the ground was very soft causing a lot of the trees to come down.”

King said he advises homeowners to reach out to their insurance provider before doing any major work on a damaged home.

“Don’t start any significant repairs. Protect the property. Prevent the property from getting any further damage,” he said. “Record, photograph, document any loss so your insurance carrier can have a lot of information and start working as quickly as possible.”

King is also warning homeowners to be leery of adjusters and contractors who approach you.

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“The insurance company’s job is to protect the consumer,” he said. “They have a job with that consumer. These public adjusters are freelance guys. Many have taken advantage of people who are just desperate.”

King said if your insurance company isn’t assisting you per your policy or you encounter a scammer, you can call the state’s consumer hotline at 1-800-656-2298.

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