My office is filled with smoke, customers are calling me | Insurance business America
A Texas agent speaks with the IBA as a near-record wildfire spreads
Disaster and flood
By Ryan Smith
A devastating fire in the Texas Panhandle is now the second largest fire in the state’s history.
The rapidly spreading fire has caused power outages and forced evacuations across the region.
Timothy Cortez, agent and owner of Cortez Insurance Agency in Amarillo, Texas, said that while the fire itself has not yet reached the city, its effects have already reached.
“Amarillo was hit by smoke,” Cortez told IBA. “My office is filled with smoke. I live in Canyon, about 10 minutes south of Amarillo, and our power was out; Smoke was everywhere. Yesterday some customers called me and said, ‘Man, it’s smoky out here.'”
According to an Associated Press report, the fire is part of a series of fires that have burned out of control and threatened rural towns in the area. The largest of the fires – which had grown to more than half the size of the state of Rhode Island as of Wednesday – has spread to parts of neighboring Oklahoma and was not yet contained as of Wednesday morning.
Officials began assessing the damage on Wednesday and warned it could be severe. People evacuated from the area are likely “unprepared for what they will experience when they come into town,” Hutchinson County Emergency Management spokeswoman Deidra Thomas said in a livestream on social media. Thomas said the small town of Fritch, which appears to have been particularly hard hit, is still unsafe for people to return.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbot has issued a disaster declaration for 60 counties, the AP reported.
Cortez told IBA that he recommends his clients be prepared for emergencies such as wildfires.
“I recommend, firstly, always have a travel bag ready, even if you fail at something,” he said. “Number two: If you have to leave your home, keep your receipts. Keep an eye on all of this. My agency has loss of use insurance for everything, and loss of use insurance covers these reimbursements. So keep an eye on what you spend if you have to go to a hotel or something.”
Cortez also emphasized that those insured must ensure that their insurance coverage remains current.
“We always talk to customers to see if there are any updates and if they have made any improvements (to their homes),” Cortez said. “Make sure your agent knows these things when shopping locally to calculate replacement cost. If you get a few quotes and they’re all in the same area, there’s a good chance you’ll get it right.”
Thursday’s weather could offer a glimmer of hope, with cooler temperatures forecast, less wind and the possibility of rain, the AP reported.
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2024-02-28 20:45:50
www.insurancebusinessmag.com
