HELENA – With floodwaters starting to recede in some areas of Montana, homeowners are assessing the damage.
Mike Miller, a State Farm Insurance Agent, said there is no reason to wait to submit a claim when it comes to flood damage.
Miller said the most common misconception homeowners face with insurance is that they think their home has flood coverage.
"I think some homeowners think I have coverage for anything and everything that happens and unless you have a flood policy, you’re not going to have any coverage," said Miller.
The National Flood Insurance program is a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sold by local agents and separate from homeowners insurance.
If you have to make a claim, make sure that the damage is documented with photos, undamaged property is separated, and you have a comprehensive list of damaged goods and structural damage.
Eric Barsness lives on McHugh Lane near Helena and he said he’s pumped water out of his basement for nine days straight.
"Well we knew once we saw surface water out in front of the house, we knew it was only a matter of time we would have water in the basement," Barsness said.
Miller said if you have flood insurance and submit a claim, generally your adjuster will contact you within one to two days.
