Tornado victims often targeted by scammers | How to protect your money when rebuilding
ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (WTVD) -- As the cleanup process begins in Nash County, community members and crews are out at the scene of the destruction offering help in the rebuilding.
It's hard to think anyone would take advantage of homeowners who already lost so much to the tornado, but unfortunately, when money is involved, it happens.
Helen Manning has lived in her home for 9 years. She has made improvements over the years to keep her home updated and fresh. When the tornado hit, it wiped out all of her hard work.
"Everything I put on here new is gone, it took a lot of money," she said. The roof, front porch and other parts of Manning's home were all damaged by the tornado.
Since the tornado passed, small business owner Christopher Sanders has been trying to provide some relief.
"Right now it's about helping the community and doing the right thing," Sanders said. He's trying to help those homeowners impacted by the tornado. "My truck, trailers, tractors everything I have is at your disposal, all you have to do is call."
If your home did suffer damage, to protect yourself, the first thing you need to do is call your insurance company and verify your coverage. Get a copy of your policy, and see if you have full replacement cost. Full replacement cost replaces loss at full value, while actual cash value only covers the depreciated amount your damaged items were worth when they were damaged. That means, you'll likely end up paying out of pocket to replace things.
If you can, wait for an adjustor with the insurance company to access your damage.
If you need to secure your home and get work done right away, take pictures and video of all the damage before any cleanup so you have documentation. If crews come onto your property and offer to start working, first research that company. Also get a contract, with everything in writing.
