Contact your insurance agency and file your claim as soon as possible. If you have flood insurance that is part of the National Flood Insurance Program, see floodsmart.gov/start or call 877-336-2627 to start a claim.
When you gain access to your property, here is what to do if your property was damaged:
Document damage to your property for homeowners and flood insurance claims.
- Take photos and video of any damage.
- Prepare a room-by-room list of damaged belongings.
- Document serial numbers of damaged appliances.
- Take photos to show how high the water was on your property.
Report damage on the Resident Damage Reporting Tool at disaster.pinellas.gov or on the Ready Pinellas app. This helps secure federal relief aid for the community.
Contact your landlord as soon as possible if you rent your home or business.
Remove wet items immediately to prevent mold. If you have flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program, the policy will not cover damage from mold, so do everything you can to prevent mold. Insurance companies allow you to remove wet contents from your home, but take photos of each room and keep samples of any wet contents (bedding, rug, furniture, etc.) before you throw them away.
*Place damaged household items curbside but take care to NOT put it in the street. Please separate vegetative debris from household items to expedite debris removal.*
Clean and disinfect anything that got wet. Visit floodsmart.gov/flood and
sbpusa.org/start-here for flood cleanup resources.
Work with County and Town building representatives to conduct safety checks if your property was severely damaged. Representatives of utilities, government offices and reputable businesses or voluntary organizations will visit with proper identification in the weeks following a storm. Never let anyone into your home without first asking for identification.
Get required permits before you start any building repair, improvement or construction. Verify contractors’ licenses before they begin any work by calling (727) 382- 3100 (choose option 2) or call the Building Department at 727-262-2218.
Find additional storm recovery resources and info on the Ready Pinellas app, at disaster.pinellas.gov or by calling the County Information Center at (727) 464-4333.