State Officials Help Breezy Point Residents With Insurance Questions

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Representatives from the New York State Department of Financial Services visited Breezy Point Saturday to help residents navigate their questions about insurance. NY1's Agnes Chung filed the following report.

Rockaway resident Rachelle says she's worried. Her basement and first floor were destroyed during Hurricane Sandy, and this is the first time she had to fill out a claim with an insurance agency.

"We've had adjusters come down, but we have not been given any information on what the funds are thus far, so it's very hard to go ahead and know where to begin and hire contractors," she said.

The New York State Department of Financial Services set up a mobile command center in Breezy Point Saturday to help those who have Sandy insurance-related issues. Representatives answered questions, helped navigate the fine print and were available to contact insurers if people affected by the storm were unable to do so.

"I mean, I'm a nurse and I am good at my job, but I don't know insurance," said Elle Healey, a Breezy Point resident.

"We're moving from the phase of the recovery into another phase," said George Haggerty, a deputy secretary for Governor Andrew Cuomo. "People are having the adjusters come out to the homes. They have their questions concerning what's covered by flood, what's covered by homeowners, concurrent cause coverage and those sorts of things, and they're very complex."

Breezy Point resident James Gurnick stopped by because he disagrees with his insurance company on the settlement amount. He said he wanted to know what his options are.

"My insurance company for my homeowner's policy didn't cover the things that were due to wind that should have been covered due to wind," Gurnick said.

"We won't negotiate on their behalf, but if there is something that ought to be covered that is not being covered, and if it is an issue of coverage, we will clearly take a look at that," Haggerty said.

There are more than 20 New York State disaster assistance centers set up in the Hurricane Sandy-impacted areas. All services are free and will continue to be available as needed.

For more information, go to dfs.ny.gov.