Insurance adjusters tally storm's damage

Insurance adjuster Jason Altmann has to know how to diagnose the wounds of property struck by disaster.

The trunk of his sedan is stocked with work gloves, boots and a collapsible ladder, among other tools. A moisture meter and a laser measure hang from his belt.

Tuesday afternoon the knowledge and tools came in handy for Altmann, who has worked as a claim adjuster with MetLife for 21 years, as he assessed the damage Tropical Storm Irene inflicted on the Garden City home of Ray and Mary Finnerty.

Altmann, who came from North Carolina as part of MetLife's catastrophe response team, scaled the roof and crawled through the attic of the Finnertys' house, which had suffered structural damage, broken windows and interior water damage from two oak trees that fell onto it Sunday morning.

When the trees fell, "it was 4:03 a.m., because all the clocks stopped when the power went out," said Mary Finnerty, 76.

Altmann is one of several thousand claims adjusters whom national insurance companies have deployed to areas stricken by Irene's winds and rain. The adjuster's job -- to answer questions, assess damage and give an estimate for the cost of damages to insured property -- is a crucial first step in getting an insurance payment to some of the thousands of Long Islanders filing claims.

As of Wednesday, for example, State Farm had received 9,517 home claims and 973 auto claims in New York State related to Irene, according to Jeff McCollum, a spokesman for the company.

Many homeowners were worried that a hurricane deductible might go into effect on their insurance policies following Irene, but spokespeople for Allstate, State Farm, MetLife and Travelers all confirmed that their hurricane deductible was not triggered in New York for their respectively companies.

Several adjusters said stepping into their customers' shoes and understanding their feelings is a priority when responding to claims.

"You need to be a professional and a caring person, because you're dealing with people's lives, not just their property," said Elsa Irrera, a claims representatives with Travelers who was surveying a policyholder's house in Huntington Wednesday. Irrera, who also lives in Huntington, said she still does not have power in her home but has been evaluating damage at houses for Travelers since Monday.

"Each loss is an individual loss," Altmann said. "Talk to the homeowner, inspect everything, don't rush it and be thorough."

Both Altmann and Irrera said they see about four to five houses a day, depending on the extent of the damage to the property and the needs of the insured.