Join Insurance Commissioner Goodwin on NCHurriClaims.com -- an online resource during hurricane season.

June 1st was the beginning of hurricane season in 2012. NC Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin said:

"To help me reach even more persons about the paramount need to prepare for the next big storm, my team and I at the Department of Insurance have created a special online presence here at www.NCHurriClaims.com."

Commissioner Goodwin Fights for Coastal NC to Rebuild, Recover Post-Hurricane Irene

Starting days before Hurricane Irene made landfall in eastern and coastal North Carolina and for four months thereafter, Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin has been personally and very directly involved with fighting for the rebuilding and recovery of of the Tar Heel state.

For examples of his work on Hurricane Irene matters from August through December 2011, go to here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

As you can see at the above links, Insurance Commissioner Goodwin - who also serves as the State Fire Marshal - first deployed his team into the field before the storm, helping fire departments and communities in advance of the storm. He sent out his investigators to go after scam artists, and activated the propery mediation program and prescription drug assistance program. Goodwin flew by helicopter over 15 stricken counties, touching down and touring three of them, all within 14 hours of Hurricane Irene departing the state.

Commissioner Goodwin has made no fewer than eleven personal trips to eastern and coastal North Carolina to view damage or to assist consumers and local governments with post-Irene issues.

During those visits, he has met with homeowners, business leaders, and locally-elected officials.

The Department and the Insurance Commissioner have also been dismayed - angered - by the acts of commission or omission perpetrated by private and public insurance adjusters, and third parties post-Irene. The Commissioner pledges further action in the near future on this topic once all investigations and analyses are completed.

Among the additional issues tackled by the Department of Insurance and Goodwin: Successfully encouraging FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to improve its services and be on the ground with homeowners at special Insurance Assistance Centers and to extend the period of time for proof of losses -- and addressing various, significant vacation travel insurance matters.

NC Insurance Commissioner Goodwin, Dept of Insurance Receive National Praise for Coastal Insurance Approach

Recognized as One of Top 3 States to "Get Heads Out of the Sand" and Best Prepared for "the Big One," the next major hurricane hit

Following up on recognition from business, industry, consumer, and political leaders across the United States and especially in the Southeast over the last year, NC Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin and his team of experts received yet another dose of praise this week for their hard on coastal insurance reforms.

In particular, John Lobart penned:

The trade and mainstream press will soon be filled with articles commenting on the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina—the largest insurance event in history and certainly one of the deadliest. Rather than look at the accumulated statistics, I thought it would be interesting to ask the question, “Have the Atlantic and Gulf Coast state insurance markets prepared for the next big hurricane?”

Looking back over the past five years, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina get my vote as states that are clearly better prepared to handle the Big One then they were five years ago. ...

North Carolina pulled its head out of the sand and tackled beach plan reform in 2009. Then newly elected Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin made it clear that it would not be business as usual as it had been under long-time Commissioner Jim Long. Commissioner Goodwin and his staff worked diligently on a beach plan funding compromise guaranteed to make everyone unhappy—and that’s a good thing. The 2009 reform effort included reducing available limits in the Beach Plan (to throw out the wealthiest homes), providing for a huge (but consistently predictable) nonrecoupable assessment upon insurers to fund Beach Plan shortfalls, and providing for surcharges on policyholders statewide if needed to fund the most devastating losses. This last provision was certainly a hard one to sell (especially for an elected Commissioner). But for a state where coastal tourism benefits the entire state, it’s fair. The North Carolina reform law also puts pressure on the Beach Plan board to maintain adequate reinsurance, arguably the number one factor in bringing confidence to the private market as a well-funded residual market significantly reduces the likelihood of post-loss assessments.

Lobart is a legislative and regulatory affairs lawyer whose firm, Lobert Legislative & Regulatory Consulting, provides public policy advice.

"Ultimately," said Commissioner of Insurance Wayne Goodwin, "we have better protected consumers on the coast and beach of the State while preventing a massively unstable insurance market in North Carolina. Doing nothing was not an option, but doing something was not going to be pain-free. We are better prepared, and have enacted mitigation credits, a fairer system that protects the whole state, and a set of reforms that were long overdue."

Through Goodwin's leadership, insurance rates in North Carolina on homeowners' insurance - as well as automobile and workers comp - have remained some of the very best in the nation, especially in the South.

Further, Goodwin has also made a strong policy of greater transparency and public participation in the process of insurance regulation in the Tar Heel state.

Leadership, competence, consumer protection, transparency, public participation, and fair ratemaking are pillars in the Goodwin administration.

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Photo: courtesy NOAA.

Are you Prepared for Hurricane Season? Insurance Commissioner Goodwin and DOI Offer Tips and Warnings

This week is national Hurricane Preparedness Week, and next week marks the beginning of hurricane season, June 1-Nov. 30. That's why Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin is reminding North Carolinians to get a head start on disaster preparedness before a storm strikes.

"One of the most basic ways for people to get prepared is to review their insurance policies, inventory their home's contents and compile important documents in a safe place," explains Commissioner Goodwin. "Knowing what your coverage is now gives you the chance to make adjustments and have those adjustments take effect before a storm comes to North Carolina." A lot of homeowners and renters are not familiar with their policies and may think they have more coverage than they really do, Goodwin added.

Because hurricane season is just around the corner, that’s why Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin is reminding North Carolinians to get a head start on disaster preparedness before a storm strikes.

"We want people to have the insurance coverage they need to weather any storm that comes to North Carolina,” said Commissioner Goodwin. “I also encourage North Carolinians to be on the lookout for unscrupulous businesses that take advantage of folks when they need help and are most vulnerable. I’ve heard from criminal investigators on my staff that storm-related scams are on the rise in North Carolina.”

Department investigators have seen an increase in companies who are conning consumers into repair work for damage that isn’t really there. According to investigators here’s how it works:

After a storm, roofing companies learn from news reports which areas may have storm, hail or wind damage. They go to those neighborhoods and travel door-to-door telling homeowners their roof is damaged and needs repairing or in some cases to be replaced. According to investigators, often there is no roof damage and sometimes the damage is even intentionally caused. This can be prosecuted as insurance fraud. At a minimum, unsuspecting homeowners end up paying a deductible for a new roof they did not need.

An estimated 10 cents of every dollar paid in premiums goes toward the payment of fraudulent claims. To report suspected fraud, contact the Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations Division at 919-807-6840.

To avoid being the victim of a scam, Commissioner Goodwin and your Department of Insurance suggest that North Carolinians follow these tips:

If you suffer property loss in your home or vehicle, contact your insurance agent or insurance company as soon as possible to arrange a visit from an adjuster. The Department of Insurance will be in close contact with top insurance companies doing business in the state. We will have up-to-date consumer hotline numbers available for those who need to contact their companies.

Before doing any repairs to your house, photograph and make a list of the damage.

Protect your home from further damage by making temporary repairs only, until your insurance company can advise you further. Save any receipts for materials purchased for repairs.

Do not have permanent repairs made until your insurance company has inspected the property and you have reached an agreement on the cost of repairs.

If necessary, rent temporary shelter. If your home is uninhabitable due to physical damage (not lack of power or water), most homeowners policies pay additional living expenses while your property is being repaired. Before renting temporary shelter, check with your insurance company or agent to determine what expenses will be reimbursed.

Always remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Deal only with licensed agents and companies.

The Department also urges citizens to remember these tips in preparing for hurricane season:

Homeowners should review their insurance policies with their agents annually. Ask, “What exactly does my policy cover, and what needs are not met?” Consider that homeowners policies do not cover flood damage, and some policies in coastal areas may not cover windstorm damage. Don’t wait until the storm is approaching to upgrade your coverage.

Flood insurance can be obtained by qualifying property owners by contacting your local agent or through the National Flood Insurance program. Call 800-638-6620 for more information.

Residents living in rental property should consider purchasing renter’s insurance to cover losses of personal property within the rental unit. Your landlord’s policy will not cover your personal possessions in the event of a loss.

Consider the type of coverage you purchase — actual cash value or replacement value. Replacement value will pay to replace your home at current building costs and with similar materials. This is usually a higher value and can cost a bit more, but this extra coverage can be important if your home is destroyed in a storm.

Make a list of your belongings and take pictures or videotape them. Include a close-up shot of the day’s newspaper to provide the date. Keep your inventory list along with purchase receipts, pictures and your insurance policy in a safe-deposit box or other safe place away from your home. If you are forced to evacuate, take a copy of your policy with you.

If you have any questions or problems concerning your insurance coverage, contact the Department of Insurance’s Consumer Services Division toll-free (in-state) at 800-546-5664.

For more information, go to the official website for the NC Department of Insurance or news media like The Laurinburg Exchange,WRAL-TV (including a brief analysis of the Top 5 hurricanes to strike NC in recent times), New Bern Sun Journal, the Raleigh News & Observer, et al., during hurricane season.

Map and photo: courtesy NOAA.