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Safeco Insurance deploys additional resources to assist customers impacted by Hurricane Sandy

SEATTLE, Wash. (Nov. 6, 2012) – In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, Safeco Insurance has deployed additional resources to help customers recover from the storm that ravaged a 1,000-mile region of the Eastern United States.

Catastrophe claims specialists are available to assist by telephone and hundreds more, including property experts, have been dispatched to the hardest-hit areas. In addition, special mobile units designed to handle claims for Safeco® home customers are now operating in Freehold, N.J., and Garden City, Long Island, N.Y.

The company also says it will not apply hurricane deductibles to customers’ losses from Sandy. Other home and auto policy deductibles will apply.

When safe to do so, Safeco Insurance® customers should reach out to us with their claims or questions.

By phone:

• Our customer service representatives are ready to answer questions and guide customers through the home or auto claims process 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-332-3226.

• Safeco has brought in additional staff and is prioritizing weather-related claims in the eastern half of the country, but call volumes still may be high. When offered, a caller may choose to remain on hold or request a return phone call, keeping their place in the call queue.

In person:

Safeco home insurance customers can receive face-to-face support at dedicated catastrophe response vehicles at the locations below, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday-Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends. Customers should look for a Liberty Mutual Insurance RV, which is where Safeco Insurance, a Liberty Mutual company, will have Safeco homeowners experts stationed.

• Wal-Mart: 326 West Main Street, Freehold, N.J.
• Lowe's: 700 Dibblee Drive, Garden City, N.Y. 

Tips for immediate action

Safeco Insurance offers the following tips to help homeowners protect their property from further damage after Sandy. .

1. Make personal safety your first priority. Wait for an OK from an official agency, either police or local emergency management, before re-entering your home.
2. Let your car dry out before trying to start it.
3. Avoid flooded streets when driving, even if the water doesn't look very deep. Roads and bridges may be weakened or washed out, and wet roads can hide downed electrical lines or underlying currents that can carry your vehicle away.
4. Look for hazards, including broken glass and sharp objects, loose wires, broken gas lines or submerged electrical appliances. Have all utilities and appliances thoroughly checked by a professional before use in order to avoid electrocution.
5. If your power has been disrupted, don’t leave candles or your fireplace unattended, and keep the area well ventilated to avoid hazardous fumes or carbon-monoxide poisoning. If you use a generator, read the instructions carefully, and don’t run the unit indoors. Using a generator improperly could cause a fire.
6. Keep circuit breakers turned off until the power is back on. Then investigate for electrical system damage for frayed wires or burning smells. Turn the electricity off if you detect these or other problems.
7. Check for gas leaks. If you detect a leak, turn it off at the main shut-off valve, leave the house immediately, and notify the gas company at once from a safe location.
8. Boil water before drinking or cooking, or use bottled water.
9. Pump out flooded basements gradually to avoid structural damage. A rate of about one-half of the floodwater per day should be safe.
10. Throw out any medicines or food – even canned goods – touched by floodwater.
11. Take an inventory of any damaged property or possessions. Other than food or medicine, do not dispose of any items without the prior approval of your insurance claims adjuster.