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Storm recovery: Tips for homes, cars, insurance

Drivers whose cars were flooded during the historic rainfall Wednesday morning probably will be covered for losses by their auto insurance policies if they opted for "comprehensive" coverage. 
About 75 percent of vehicle owners buy comprehensive, which covers almost anything not directly related to a car crash -- including floods -- according to the Insurance Information Institute, an industry organization based in Manhattan. 
Comprehensive is relatively cheap, accounting for 10 or 15 cents of every premium dollar, said Michael F. Barry, a vice president at the institute. It usually is sold with a $100 to $300 deductible. 
In most cases, the insurance company either will authorize repairs or declare the car a total loss if the cost of repairs exceeds the "book value" of the car. That is the value in a retail sale -- not the lower "trade-in" value -- and is calculated based on guidelines set by the state Department of Financial Services, said John Capuano, the department's principal insurance examiner. 
Owners of older, high mileage cars with low value often drop their comprehensive coverage, said Gary Morris, chief executive of the Rampart Group, an insurance brokerage in Lake Success. 
Of greatest concern when a car has been submerged is damage to the engine and engine-related electronics as well as to other electronics in the vehicle, Morris said. 
Cars that have been declared total losses by insurers normally are stripped by dismantlers for their usable parts. Those that are salvaged and repaired for resale are required by state laws to have the words "salvage" or "flood" in their titles. 
But the National Automobile Dealers Association warned after superstorm Sandy that some storm-totaled cars can find their way onto the used car market with "clean" titles. 
For car owners, homeowners and business people with insurance questions, the state Department of Financial Services mobile command center is scheduled to be at the Islip Town parking lot at 401 Main St. Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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'Comprehensive' insurance usually covers flooded cars

Before: Penataquit Avenue, Bay Shore

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There is dampness in my basement between the walls and the floor. The basement is unfinished. How do I find a reliable outfit to review my problem and give me advice that I can trust? What questions do I have to ask? 
The short answer is to call the Long Island chapter of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. They can offer guidance and refer licensed and insured members (631-673-6274; nari.org). Before hiring a contractor, you also can check with the Better Business Bureau (bbb.org) to see if there are any complaints against the company. 
THE CULPRIT 
There are several. One is created by the eventual breakdown of tar - a damp-proofing material - applied around a home's foundation. As tar breaks down, water can get in. "One of the most common entries of water in the basement foundation is located where the floor and the wall meet," says Bill Simone, owner of Healthy Basement Systems in Islip Terrace. "We call this seam a 'cove.' As the water table rises and rainwater settles, the water will rise higher and higher, creating an enormous pressure onto the cove area." 
Gravity is another culprit. Sandy Beach, a home builder based in Hampton Bays, says the first thing to look at is the land grade. "If you look to the side and to the back of your property and it's higher than your yard, where is the water going?" 
<h4>DRYING OUT</h4> 
A minor amount of water can be sucked up by a wet/dry vacuum. Major accumulation needs a major pump - and professionals. Air helps in the drying process. "Open the windows and use fans to move the air around," advises Beach. Regardless, every basement on Long Island should have a dehumidifier, Simone says. 
<h4>ASSESSING THE DAMAGE</h4> 
Mold needs the right conditions to grow, says Simone. "In cooler weather, it grows slower." Surface mold can be fixed with ammonia, he adds. But if you have a finished basement with drywall and it's damaged with more than six inches of water, it should be ripped out, Beach says. 
<h4>PREVENTION</h4> 
Companies offer various solutions and products. French drain systems are one option. Here, a trench captures groundwater and diverts it. 
An electric sump pump will keep water out, but not during a power outage. Maintain your window wells - they should be debris-free and backfilled with stone for drainage, says Beach. As for changing the grade of the land, a qualified landscaper can do the job.

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How to fix a wet basement

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Normal wear and tear as well as harsh weather can cause the seams of aluminum gutters to spring a leak. It's not too hard to repair these leaks when you realize how the professionals put them together when the gutters are new. 
As with many jobs, the success of the project is directly related to the amount of patience you have when it comes to the prep work. 
You can watch a short video showing how to repair an aluminum gutter by going to <a href="http://go.askthebuilder.com/repairgutter" target="_blank">go.askthebuilder.com/repairgutter</a> or <a href="http://bit.ly/1o6HweI" target="_blank">bit.ly/1o6HweI</a> 
STEP 1 
Assemble the ladders and tools required to safely access the leaking gutter. Use wide boards on soil to support step ladders. Obey all the safety recommendations that are printed on the ladders. Place the ladders so you don't have to reach out beyond the ladder to make the repair. 
STEP 2 
Visit a hardware store or home center that sells aluminum gutters to locate the required gutter repair sealant. Wholesale roofing supply houses that sell asphalt shingles usually are an excellent source of high-quality gutter repair products. 
The manufacturers of aluminum gutters make a special sealant that's been tested to produce leak-free gutters for years. You want to buy this product. Don't assume caulk of any type, even if it says it's for gutter repair, is the best thing to use. 
STEP 3 
Once you have the proper sealant, stop and read the instructions on the label. They will say to apply to a clean, dry, grease- and oil-free surface. Clean does not mean hosed out. Clean means clean enough to eat from. 
STEP 4 
Remove all gunk, leaves, twigs and other debris from the inside of the gutter. Make a solution of soapy water using regular liquid dish soap. Use an old paint brush to apply this solution to the inside of the leaking seam or gutter joint. Dab the paint brush around to create lots of suds. Add more liquid soap if necessary. 
Brush, dab and do what's necessary to remove all dirt within six inches of the seam to be repaired. Rinse regularly with clear water until the seam is perfectly clean. 
STEP 5 
Use old rags, a leaf blower or allow the gutter to dry naturally in the sun. Make sure it's completely dry. 
STEP 6 
Puncture the seal at the tip of the special sealant and squeeze the tube as you would toothpaste. Sealant can be extremely sticky and have the consistency of honey when the air temperature is about 75 degrees. 
STEP 7 
Apply the sealant so it spreads out about one-half inch on both sides of the seam that's leaking. Don't try to use a stick. Move the tip of the tube around to spread the sealant. The sealant starts to skin over quickly, so you must work fast. Use the tip of the tube as a spreading device to help the sealant stick to vertical parts of the gutter. 
STEP 8 
Apply the sealant so it's about three-sixteenths of an inch thick. It seems like it's too much material, but when the sealant dries and cures, much of what you see disappears into the air. 
Summary: The application of the sealant is the easiest part of the project, but it's imperative you put on enough material. If you want to see how much material disappears into the air, do a test on a scrap piece of aluminum foil the day before you attempt this project. Leave the test piece of foil out in your garage to dry. Because the fumes are unpleasant, do not do this test inside your home. 
Get Tim Carter's free weekly newsletter -- tool reviews, new product reviews, home-improvement tips and much more -- delivered via email. Go to AsktheBuilder.com to sign up.

LSIMP09.WEB

Homework: Repairing leaking gutters

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1. Surveying damage 
The crawl space and basement foundation should be inspected for signs of flooding. Any water that has collected next to the foundation should be removed as soon as possible. Water left in the crawl space or basement can cause serious damage to the home's structure and foundation. Damaged items in a basement should be removed, and any items that have mold should be discarded. 
2. Gutter check 
Direct water runoff away from foundations. The No. 1 cause of flooding is inadequate or poorly maintained roof rain gutters. Rain gutters need to be inspected and maintained semiannually. All the runoff from the home's roof should be directed to the gutters. If they leak, are loose or are clogged, the water pours over or around the gutters and collects next to the foundation. As the water pours over the gutters, the soil next to the foundation erodes, allowing water to form pools instead of draining away. 
3. Repair damage 
Careful landscaping or French drains can correct poor drainage. Compacted clay soil, properly sloped next to the foundation and topped with planting soils, will divert water. The yard should slope at least 6 inches in the first 10 feet on all sides. If this is not possible, a French drain or swale can be installed. A French drain is a perforated plastic pipe buried beneath the soil and embedded in crushed stone. The pipe should be designed to drain by gravity to a suitable location. As water collects, it will soak into the French drain and be carried away. If you have splash blocks for downspout drains, install extension drains to direct runoff 6 feet from the foundation. (Splash blocks prevent erosion, but do not prevent pooling. 
4. Sloping slabs 
Inspect concrete slabs near the foundation: walks, driveways, porches and patios. These slabs must be sloped to drain away from the foundation. If the concrete is cracked and has settled, it should either be replaced or "slab jacked" to prevent flooding. Slab jacking is a process in which grout is pumped under the concrete slab to elevate the slab for proper drainage. Also inspect the landscaping between the foundation and the concrete slabs. Try to determine how rainwater from the landscaping will drain over the concrete slab. If you have landscape borders next to the concrete, the borders will act as dams holding the runoff water in the soil. There should be openings in them to allow accumulated water to drain. 
5. Sloping soil 
Make sure soil under decorative gravel or wood chips is sloped for drainage. Low areas that have been filled with gravel will form pools that can seep to the foundation. Window wells, access doors and foundation vents are openings in the foundation wall that are subject to flooding. 
6. Rings of steel 
"Area walls" can be installed to prevent flooding. They are semicircular steel rings that are available in various sizes to fit common-access door and window openings. For large area walls, plastic covers are available to keep direct rains out of the openings. 
7. Ask an expert 
If your water problems are severe, get help. A qualified home inspector can help you determine how to correct the problems. Find one at ashi.org.

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How to keep your home dry

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Quick, answer this about your homeowner's policy: Does it cover replacement cost? Do you have "extended limits"? What's the exact dollar amount of your hurricane deductible, and what category storm triggers it? Regarding flood insurance: What's your home's likelihood of flooding, according to the National Flood Insurance Program's floodplain maps? 
If you can't answer these questions, you have work to do. Experts helped Newsday compile this 12-point checklist to help ensure your homeowner's coverage is the best it can be, and also offered advice regarding whether you might want to add flood insurance or even "excess flood insurance" to your home protection strategy: 
1. Don't look just at the "Policy Declarations" page that comes with your annual renewal 
Ask for the actual policy, which was probably sent when you first signed on with the company. You also need the "amendatory endorsements" -- changes since your purchase. "You have to have all three of those to truly understand your coverage," says Sharyn Kay, who worked in insurance for 24 years, runs a blog called Insurance Decoded and has self-published an e-book called "Insurance Claims Decoded: A Homeowner's Guide to Getting a Claim Paid" ($8.97). 
2. Buyer, beware 
Read the fine print closely. "My father used to say, 'The big print giveth, the small print taketh away,' " says asset protection attorney Hillel Presser, president of the Presser Law Firm in Deerfield Beach, Fla. "At the end of the day, insurance companies are for-profit companies. They're not charities." Agents tend to go heavy on the sales pitch and gloss over what's not covered, says Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, a San Francisco-based nonprofit information resource for insurance consumers nationwide. Presser encourages people to buy the best coverage they can afford: "It's pretty good bang for your buck if something happens." 
Gov. <a href="/topics//Andrew_Cuomo">Andrew Cuomo</a> has started a "report card" so you can check how your company performs; go to nyinsure.ny.gov. 
3. Determine your type of coverage -- deluxe, basic or in between 
"A lot of them have fancy names created by the marketing department," Presser says. There can be significant differences, he and Kay warn. One of the biggest is whether it's a "named peril" or an "open peril" or "all risk" policy, Kay says. Named peril policies cover only the perils specifically listed, such as fire, wind and/or theft. Open peril or all risk policies cover any event other than what is specifically excluded. The latter is a better choice, Bach and Kay say. 
4. Be sure to have replacement cost on the dwelling 
This is so you'll be covered for what it costs to rebuild regardless of depreciation. Consider raising your deductible if you need to bring the premium down without sacrificing replacement cost, Bach says. If you raise the deductible from $500 to $1,000, you could save 10 to 25 percent on the premium, says Jeanne Salvatore, consumer spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute, a Manhattan nonprofit consumer education organization funded by the insurance industry. 
5. Strongly consider replacement cost coverage (rather than actual cash value) for contents as well 
"If I lifted my house up and dumped it upside down, what would fall out? That's the content coverage," says <a href="/topics//Michael_Barry">Michael Barry</a> of <a href="/topics//Manhasset,_NY">Manhasset</a>, vice president for media relations for the Insurance Information Institute. Replacement covers what it would cost at the time of the disaster to buy new items. Actual cash value only pays for the depreciated market value. For instance, if your couch or TV is 10 years old, you won't get a check to cover brand-new ones; you'll have to pay the difference from your pocket. "That's going to cost you a little bit more, but it's probably cost effective," <a href="/topics//Michael_Barry">Barry</a> says. Renters should also insure their contents, Bach says. "It's very affordable," she says. 
6. Make sure you have "extended" coverage 
This adds 10 percent to 25 percent to the cost of rebuilding after a widespread disaster to account for an inevitable rise in prices due to supply and demand. "With so much work to do, contractors start to bump up the price," Kay says. Cost of materials may also rise. 
7. Opt for "building code" coverage, especially if your house is more than 30 years old 
If you have to rebuild, you'll be required to meet current codes, which could include rewiring, for instance. "I highly recommend it for anybody who has an older house," Kay says. If you don't have the coverage, add it, she says. 
8. Know your hurricane deductible, usually 1 percent to 5 percent of the policy coverage 
For instance, if your house is covered for $500,000 and a hurricane destroys it, you would have to pay the first $25,000 if your deductible is 5 percent. You also should ask what is the "trigger" for the hurricane deductible, which is higher than a deductible for damage caused by lesser storms, <a href="/topics//Michael_Barry">Barry</a> says. It might be a Category 1 storm, but it could be a Category 2 or higher storm as declared by the <a href="/topics//National_Weather_Service">National Weather Service</a>. Sandy wasn't a hurricane when it hit land, so the hurricane deductibles don't apply. Neither Kay nor <a href="/topics//Michael_Barry">Barry</a> are aware of any way to mitigate the hurricane deductible through a supplemental or upgraded policy. But ask whether discounts are available if you make your home more resistant to hurricane damage by adding protection such as hurricane shutters, Bach says. 
9. Check whether your company updates coverage for inflation 
Most include "inflation guard," <a href="/topics//Michael_Barry">Barry</a> says. If your house's market value has plummeted, don't make the mistake of reducing your dwelling protection coverage, <a href="/topics//Michael_Barry">Barry</a> warns. The cost of rebuilding may still be high due to increased cost of materials, he says. You don't want to have a situation in which you only have $300,000 of protection and it costs $350,000 to replace your home, he says. Usually dwelling protection will be lower than market value because you already own the land, he says. 
10. Make sure your policy covers "additional living expenses" 
Most include some provision for renting a replacement home if your house is temporarily uninhabitable, often a pleasant surprise to policyholders who have to file a claim, <a href="/topics//Michael_Barry">Barry</a> says. But it could be stated as 12 months or 24 months or as a specific dollar amount. A policy that designates time instead of dollars is a smarter choice, Kay, Bach and <a href="/topics//Michael_Barry">Barry</a> agree. The exact amount you'll get will be determined at the time of the loss, but should cover renting a comparable property and such expenses as driving your child to school each day if that property is outside of your school district. 
11. Review additional items such as pools and jewelry 
If you've added on to your home, alert your insurance company as well. Consider also a premium for sewage backup, which covers you if water or sewage backs up in your house -- it's usually a small sum in the overall scheme of the policy, Bach says. Realize you need to buy riders for luxury items such as jewelry, collectibles and furs. And you might want to increase your liability coverage for a pool. 
12. Make a videotape or photo album inventory now of all the items in your house 
Write down an accurate description as well as makes and models of items. If you have receipts, include them. You can find free inventory services at knowyourstuff.org or at uphelp.org, searching for home inventory. "It's horrible for people after a loss when they try to recreate their lives. It does cause a lot of stress," Kay says. Document your exterior as well, including the type of siding and roof shingles and keep all the information, along with a copy of your policy, in a safe place other than your home, Bach says. 
COMPARING INSURANCE COMPANIES 
Insurance companies may not give out the actual policy until after you purchase it, which can make it harder to compare fine print, says Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, a San Francisco nonprofit information resource for insurance consumers nationwide. 
She recommends making yourself a checklist or grid of options so you can compare side by side what agents from at least three different companies offer and what each option will cost you. United Policyholders offers consumers a buying tips tool at uphelp.org/library/buyingtips. Don't forget to factor in any discounts for "bundling" policies if other policies, such as your car or life insurance, will be with the same company.

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Homeowner's insurance: Checklist to ensure adequate storm coverage

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