Here are some tips from the American Red Cross about how to properly report an insurance claim after a natural disaster:

¢ Collect all policy numbers and insurance company phone numbers.

¢ File claims as quickly as possible. As soon as you have a list of damaged or destroyed property, file the claim. Claims generally are settled in the order received, although the most severe cases may receive the highest priority.

¢ Make an accurate list of the damage, with help from friends, neighbors and family members. Use the list when you file the claim to prove the loss took place and confirm the value of the loss.

¢ Find out how your company will process claims – for example, if it plans to start with the most severely damaged areas and work its way to less severely damaged areas.

“We’re just seeing the normal trees down and shingles blown off. We’re not seeing anything major – nothing that would require shelter,” said Jane Blocher, local director of the American Red Cross. “There’s damage, but it’s not like it was back in 2003 when we had the tornado.”