Thousands worry about filing insurance claims amid evacuations and destruction in Santa Cruz County

Thousands worry about filing insurance claims amid evacuations and destruction in Santa Cruz County

The CZU Lightning Complex Fire has destroyed 831 structures including 575 homes as of Friday.

LIFTED..IT DOES NOT INCLUDEANY OF THE AREAS THATHAVE SEEN HOMESDESTROYED DUE TO THEC-Z-U LIGHTNINGCOMPLEX FIRE..WHICH MEANS THEREBUILDING PROCESS ISSTILL ON HOLD FOR NOW..ACTION NEWS 8REPORTER CHRISTOPHERSALAS IS LIVE NOW WITHMORE FROM A LOCALINSURANCE AGENT ONWHAT CAN BE COVERED..AND FOR HOW LONG.FOR THE THOUSANDSDISPLACED BY THE FIRE.BUT HAVE NOT HADDAMAGE..INSURANCE AGENCIESWILL COVER EXPENSESFOR TWO WEEKS..WHICH MAY CREATEFINANCIAL STRAIN FORSOME WHO MAY BEEVACUATED FORLONGER.06:11 "YOU NEVER THINKIT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TOYOU, UNTIL IT DOES." THEREMAINS OF KARENDANIELSON'S CHILDHOODBOULDER CREEK HOME..LEFT IN RUBBLE..AS HER MOTHER FLEDWITH LITTLE OTHERTHAN THE CLOTHES ONHER BACK.04:54 "MY PARENTS BOUGHTTHAT HOME BRAND NEW IN1975 FOR 65-THOUSANDDOLLARS.05:04 "IT'S WHERE ME ANDMY SISTER GREW UP."DANIELSON IS APRODUCER AT KSBW'SSISTER STATION KCRA INSACRAMENTO..THAT'S WHERE HERMOTHER IS NOW STAYING..AS SHE TRIES TO TACKLETHE DAUNTING PROCESSOF FILING AN INSURANCECLAIM.KAREN DANIELSEN 01:25"THE INSURANCE HASN'T SAIDANYTHING YET BECAUSETHEY HAVEN'T BEEN OUT TOTHE PROPERTY." 03:25"FIRST OF ALL WHEN YOU GOBACK TO YOUR HOME BE ASCAREFUL AS POSSIBLE."WILLETTE JONES IS ANINSURANCE AGENT ONTHE CENTRAL COAST..SHE ALSO HAD TOEVACUATE DUE TO THERIVER FIRE BURNING INSALINAS..04:08 "MOST IMPORTANTTHING YOU CAN DO IS YESFILE YOUR CLAIM, BE SAFE,TAKE CARE OF YOURANIMALS." WILLETTE SAYSIT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVEALL RELEVANTDOCUMENTS WHENFILING A CLAIM..INCLUDING PICTURES OFYOUR HOME BEFORE THEFIRE..MOST HOME INSURANCEPOLICIES COVER FIRES INFULL..AS WELL AS ADDITIONALDAMAGE.06:25 "SO YOU MAY NOTHAVE FIRE DAMAGE, BUTYOU HAVE SMOKE DAMAGEAGAIN FOR MOST INSURERSTHAT IS ALSO A MAIN PERIL."AS FOR THOSE WHO HAVEEVACUATED BUT HAVESEEN NO DAMAGE..05:00 "SAVE ALL THERECEIPTS THAT YOU CAN TODOCUMENT ADDITIONALLIVING EXPENSES THATYOU'VE INCURRED AS ARESULT OF BEING OUT FOYOUR HOME." THATINCLUDES LODGING ..FOOD... AND GAS..BUT MOST INSURANCEONLY COVERS TWOWEEKS OF EXPENSESFOLLOWING A DISASTER..FOR THOSE IN THEBOULDER CREEK AREA..THERE'S NO TIMELINEFOR WHEN TEHY'LL BEABLE TO RETURN HOME..AS THE CZU LIGHTNIGNCOMPLEX FIREDESTROYED INFRASTUREWILLETTE SAYS THATWOULD BE A GRAY AREA.IT'S IMPORTANT TOKNOW YOUR POLICY.AND TALK WITH ANAGENT 831 STRUCTURES HAVEBEEN DESTROYED..575 ARE SINGLE FAMILYRESIDENTS..ALL BUT 11 IN SANTACRUZ COUTNY..CREWS NOW MAKINGPROGRESS IN RESTORINGWA