Time to claim Sandy damage to insurers

(WTNH) -- Now is the time for people dealing with damage from Storm Sandy to contact their insurers.

That's just one of the recommendations from the Connecticut Insurance Department.

This is round two for many who had to deal with Irene's wrath just last year. The most important thing is to keep a good record of everything that's from photos of the damage to conversations with your insurer.

However, that's not a guarantee you will not have headaches during what could be a long and frustrating process.

Mike Granoff got his first look of Sandy's damage at his Cosey Beach property Wednesday.

"Oh God, this is five times as bad as last year," said Granoff.

He has yet to call his insurance company, but does not expect issues.

"They paid most of it, not through FEMA though, but they paid most of it," said Granoff.

"Any problems with your insurance company last time around," asked News 8's Jocelyn Maminta.

"No, it was good."

That was not the case for Sal Esposito after Irene swept through.

"It's been like 14 months and I'm just starting to see a check come through," said Esposito.

Devastating losses and multiple claims take a toll.

"You need an advocate," Esposito said.

John Giordano, a public insurance adjuster, has clients up and down the East Haven beach front community.

"What did you learn from last time? What should people be doing now," asked Maminta.

"Document all of your damage and try to get a flood adjuster or a homeowner adjuster out there as quickly as you can before you start doing any major restoration or cleanup," said Giordano.

"Why is that, Maminta asked.

"Because we found that in the FEMA policy it states that if they do not see the damage they do not have to pay for it," Giordano said.

He knows first hand.

"That's where your house used to be," Maminta asked.

"That's it," he said. "That space right there."

He lost his beach home to Irene.

"Don't wait for someone from the insurance company to come out and look at your damage," Giordano said.

"Why is that," Maminta asked.

"Because they're looking at it for the insurance company and not you," he replied. "Get an advocate that's going to come out there and write the claim that's going to care about what your damages are and who's going to know how that damage relates to the insurance company."

Still, the process frustrates people like Sal Esposito.

"We try to do everything we can to protect ourselves and when something like this happens it's a catastrophe," Esposito said. "We'd like to be covered for it and not have so much aggravation."