Storm Claims FAQ

• After you report your claim, we’ll send you confirmation we received it, along with your claim number and instructions for things you can address right away. We’ll also reach out to you by phone with the same information.

• If you have an online account set up with us, you can view your claim information including final estimate and claim representative contact information by logging on to www.fbfs.com using your name and password. Click on your policy number, then the “View Claim History” link on the left side of the page. If you don’t have an online account, simply click the “Account Registration” link on the home page and follow the instructions.
• We’ll assign you a representative who will contact you to schedule an inspection or to handle your claim over the phone, depending on certain criteria for your particular loss. If you’ve been assigned a claim representative, but are unable to reach them, you can call 1-800-357-5732.

• When larger storm events occur, we may set up an auto inspection at a company drive-in location allowing us to get your vehicle in quickly. If this occurs, we’ll contact you to attempt to set up an appointment for your vehicle inspection.

• The claim representative will evaluate your damages in conjunction with your policy coverage and discuss his or her findings with you, answering any questions you may have.
• We’ll pay your claim if the loss is covered and the amount of damages exceeds your deductible. We’ll also send you appropriate documents — such as the estimate and further instructions for any other outstanding claim items — and an explanation if payment cannot be made.

If your home isn’t livable from a covered loss and your policy covers Additional Living Expenses, we’ll reimburse you for reasonable increased costs needed to maintain your normal standard of living. These expenses might include hotel bills, restaurant meals, etc. Please check your policy or speak with your assigned claim representative for details on what expenses are covered.

If your vehicle isn’t drivable from a covered loss and your policy provides rental reimbursement coverage, we’ll set up a rental vehicle while your claim is evaluated, and vehicle repairs or replacement are finalized. Payment is subject to the limits of your policy, or the reasonable amount of time to get repairs completed or a replacement in place to minimize the rental expenses.

Yes, your policy requires you to protect your property from sustaining any additional damage from a covered loss. Your policy will pay for reasonable costs you incur to temporarily repair covered property to protect it from additional damage or loss. Save your receipts for any reasonable and necessary temporary or emergency repairs and take photos if possible!

If your claim involves household personal property – the stuff inside your house – and your policy provides coverage, make a list of all your damaged items to give to your claim representative. Be sure to include as much detail about the items as you can, including the manufacturer’s name and model number, purchase date or age of each item, price paid, etc. Also indicate whether the item can be repaired. Your claim representative can provide you an inventory form, if needed.

A representative will contact you to determine if an inspection is needed or if your loss can be settled by phone. If an inspection is needed, we'll work with you to arrange a visit. In some cases, a claim representative may leave a voicemail with appointment details for an inspection. You only need to call the number back if that time does not work for you.

If the damage was caused by a large storm event, we’ll make every attempt to get to each affected client/member as quickly as possible, but we try to schedule those who have the most serious damage first.

Unless specifically requested by your claim representative, you don’t need to get an estimate prior to our inspection. Your claim representative will prepare an estimate for the damage covered by your policy and provide you with a copy. When selecting a contractor to complete the repairs, we recommend that you do not sign a contract, agreement, or work order until you review the contractor’s estimate and have an agreement on the scope, price, and timeline for repairs to be completed. Consider checking references, licenses, and obtain referrals from a trusted source prior to choosing a contractor or body shop.  Your contractor may indicate they will handle all the claim details and damages for you and may request you sign forms.  Please review all forms carefully as some forms reassign the complete claim to them including; payments along with other rights and duties you may have.  Should you have questions, please check with your claim representative.

Our estimates are based on your geographical market rates using similar kind and quality materials. You may provide a copy of the insurance estimate to the contractor so he or she can determine any differences and contact the claim representative if needed. In many instances, we can resolve the differences over the phone with you and your contractor.

It’s imperative all repairs are approved by your claim representative. Repairs completed prior to approval could result in out-of-pocket expenses for you.

Contact your claim representative immediately so we can determine if your policy provides coverage for these additional damages, and if an additional inspection is warranted. Please be aware repairs made prior to our review may not be covered. 

The timeline for repairs varies based on your coverage. Check with your claims representative or reference your policy language for details. The majority have two years to complete repairs in order to recover applicable depreciation. For more information about recoverable depreciation, please visit our estimate explainer webpage.

We offer several convenient and easy ways to receive your claims payment. You can elect to receive a traditional check or electronic payment in the form of direct deposit, direct to debit card, Venmo or PayPal. Electronic payments come via email from FBFS Payments with the address claimspay@oneinc.com. Depending on the payment amount, not all payment methods may be available to choose from.

Mortgages and lien holders are often named on your policy, and most require that their name be listed on claim payments to protect their interest in your property. You’ll need to contact them to find out how they handle their endorsement on insurance claim payments. If you’ve recently paid off your loan, notify your agent to have the mortgage company or lien holder removed from your policy.