The RebuildingRandolph Communications Committee arranged a Randolph County Insurance Assistance Meeting on Wednesday, May 23 at the Beeson Clubhouse on behalf of the Randolph County Long-Term Recovery Committee. Jason Allen of the Communications Committee and Chris Peacock, Halderman Inssurance Agency arranged and hosted the meeting.
Bob McCoy, Mayor of Winchester, addressed the on-going efforts to rebuild as well as the costs. He said the city had spent thousands of dollars on the clean-up, and hoped to be able to reimburse the contractors who had donated equipment and time. He announced that while we were not getting help from FEMA, we were eligible for Indiana Disaster Relief Funds. He also told the group that he did not see a tax levy at this time.
J.D. Prescott, State Representative for District 33, spoke of the necessity of working with the insurance agencies first, but the State Department of Insurance is available if the insured feels that their relief is not met and can file a complaint. Scott Alexander, State Senator District 6, also discussed the State Department of Insurance availability and had complaint forms if needed. He also discussed the importance of doing due diligence when hiring a contractor to make sure they are insured, bonded, and reliable. If the insured has a complaint, they can contact the attorney general if the contractor is not fulfilling their contract.
The Small Business Administration representative Ryck Morales had contact and information sheets to file for a SBA home disaster loans. The filing deadline is July 1, 2024. These loans are available to homeowners and renters to replace disaster-damaged real estate, personal property, including automobiles. Applicants need to have a credit history acceptable to SBA and show the ability to repay the loan. The Home Loans have a 2.688% rate if the applicant has no credit elsewhere and a 5.375% rate if they have credit elsewhere. The repayment plan doesn’t begin for a year, and the loans have a maximum of 30 years . If an applicant is denied the loan, they can file for an Indiana Disaster Relief Fund benefit which is $10,000.
Local insurance companies were available to work with those who needed information. Two public adjusters explained that they would help anyone who was having difficulty navigating the process between the adjusters and the insured . Several contractors including Jeff Mills, Platinum Home Improvement, were also available for those having trouble finding qualified contractors to make repairs.
Helpful Links:
