Insurance Tips for Taking Care of Your Home, Post-Sandy

If your home has sustained damage in the hurricane, the first thing to do is make sure you and your family are safe. The second thing to do: grab your camera and start taking photographs.

That's according to Stephen Thuilot, Vice President of the Mill Creek Agency in Stony Brook, who had these tips to offer homeowners: Take lots of pictures.

Attempt to get contractors, such as tree removal specialists, to give you estimates as soon as possible before they get too tied up.

Contact your insurance company within one day to let them know something has happened. Don't wait for the insurance company to call you; do what you need to do to prevent further damage to the house, such as using tarps and clearing small debris.

"The reimbursement will come," said Thuilot, himself a Stony Brook resident who is in the same situation as many throughout Three Village: no power, no Internet, no phone.

"Depending on your policy, it will get taken care of," he said. "Take care of your family first."