Resources for policyholders

Free, independent help for anyone dealing with a property insurance claim: state regulators, case-law databases, disaster aid, legal aid and the records that prove a loss. Every link goes somewhere other than here.

Collected and kept current by NFCcop, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, because the person whose house it is should have the same information the carrier does.

Start here Read the case law Disaster help Prove the loss Understand the policy Professional help

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Start here

If your claim was denied or underpaid, these are the first places to go.

Find your state insurance departmentEvery state regulates insurers and takes consumer complaints for free. This NAIC map links to all 56 jurisdictions.content.naic.org How to file an insurance complaintWhat a complaint is, when to file one, and what to gather first. A DOI complaint costs nothing and creates a record.content.naic.org United PolicyholdersA long-running nonprofit for policyholders. Claim guidance, sample letters, disaster recovery help and state-specific roadmaps.uphelp.org Find free legal aidLegal Services Corporation directory of civil legal aid offices by location. Free for those who qualify.www.lsc.gov LawHelp.orgState-by-state directory of free legal help, self-help forms and plain-language legal information.www.lawhelp.org

Read the case law

Free databases of court opinions. No subscription, no account needed.

CourtListenerMillions of U.S. court opinions, free and searchable, from the Free Law Project. The best free starting point.www.courtlistener.com Google Scholar case lawSwitch to "Case law" and pick your state. Good for following which later cases cite the one you are reading.scholar.google.com Cornell Legal Information InstituteFree statutes, regulations and a legal dictionary. Useful when a policy term turns on a defined statutory word.www.law.cornell.edu PACER / federal court recordsFederal case filings. Fees apply, but many documents are mirrored free in the RECAP archive on CourtListener.pacer.uscourts.gov State statutes and insurance codesCornell index of every state code. Insurance claim deadlines and unfair-practices statutes live here.www.law.cornell.edu

Disaster help

After a named storm, flood, fire or other declared disaster.

DisasterAssistance.govOne application for federal disaster aid across agencies. Start here after a declared disaster.www.disasterassistance.gov FEMADeclarations, individual assistance, appeals of FEMA determinations, and flood mapping.www.fema.gov National Flood Insurance ProgramHow NFIP flood claims work. Flood is almost never covered by a homeowners policy, and the rules are different.www.floodsmart.gov SBA disaster loansLow-interest disaster loans for homeowners and renters, not just businesses. Often overlooked.www.sba.gov National VOADVoluntary organizations active in disaster. Finds the local groups doing muck-out, tarping and case management.www.nvoad.org 211Local help by phone or online: shelter, food, utilities and disaster case management.www.211.org

Prove the loss

Documents and data that support what happened and what it costs.

NOAA storm events databaseOfficial record of hail, wind and tornado events by county and date. Proof the weather event occurred.www.ncdc.noaa.gov National Weather ServiceLocal forecast office pages carry storm reports and post-event summaries.www.weather.gov IRS Publication 547 — casualty lossesHow casualty and disaster losses are treated on a tax return, including what insurance recovery does to the deduction.www.irs.gov IRS disaster reliefFiling and payment extensions for taxpayers in declared disaster areas.www.irs.gov

Understand the policy

Background on how coverage and claim handling actually work.

Insure U (NAIC consumer education)Plain-language consumer education from the state regulators themselves.content.naic.org NAIC consumer insurance searchLook up a carrier: complaint counts, financial condition and licensing, by state.content.naic.org Consumer Federation of America — insuranceResearch and advocacy on claim practices, pricing and market conduct.consumerfed.org

Professional help

When you decide not to do it alone.

Find a licensed public adjuster (NAPIA)Public adjusters work for the policyholder, not the carrier, usually for a percentage. Verify the license with your state DOI.www.napia.com State bar lawyer referralABA directory of free legal answers and state bar referral services.www.americanbar.org

Building the claim itself?

PAi Claims turns your photos, policy and measurements into an itemized estimate on your own computer, with every line traced to its source. The first claim is $20; the software is carried by the nonprofit.

Get PAi Claims

Read the plain-language explainers on O&P, matching, depreciation and appraisal →