What the storm victims in Upper Carinthia are currently experiencing must be horror: dark cellars, flooded garages, damaged cars and destroyed fields are driving those affected to despair. What is needed now is information and help – and fast! Where insurance can help, why patience is still needed and how you can properly document any damage caused.
“Just the feeling that my concerns are being addressed, that someone is listening to me – that is so important! And the sooner, the better,” says Kurt Tschemernjak, CEO of Kärntner Landesversicherung (KLV) and expert in this field after last summer’s bad weather: “We have learned a lot in recent years.”
This is precisely why his colleagues in the field “are encouraged to go to disaster areas and visit our customers if possible.”
Currently, only the police or rescue services come to the Innerkrems – and only in emergencies and via Salzburg. This makes it all the more important to take action yourself and contact your own insurance company: “Sometimes it doesn’t hurt to stand on your hind legs!” And to document the damage caused properly, Tschemernjak emphasizes.
How to Properly Document Storm Damage
“A picture is worth a thousand words. Everyone has a mobile phone with a camera and can easily record damage.” In the best case, there is even a pre-established list of possessions: “I can recommend this to everyone – just a folder with a photo, brief information, value, possibly instructions for use. The question is always: how can I prove what I own?”
Because by the time the expert arrives, many items may have already been thrown away. “As long as everything is documented, it doesn’t matter if the damaged washing machine and broken freezer are no longer in the flooded basement. Traces on the building itself remain visible for much longer.”
House destroyed: do I need an appraiser?
The insurance company decides whether a sworn expert is needed – depending on the extent of the damage. This also helps the affected parties with recommendations for cleaning and renovation. “Valuers are specialists, geologists for example. None of this is decided at the office table!”
Depending on the contract and the circumstances, the insurance can cover up to 100 percent of the damage: “There are now very good products for building insurance: snow pressure, falling rocks, hail – I can cover that with up to 100 percent!” Tschemernjak. “This also applies to landslides!”
What does the insurance cover and what does it not cover?
With mudflows, the situation is different: “There is currently no solution for 100 percent protection.” The difference: “Muslims are river-like and happen on the surface, a landslide goes deeper, maybe even underground. We had a case where an entire garage slid! We are very careful with the definition and if something is unclear, an expert is called in.”
Then there is the initial risk coverage: “The amount is set out in the contract – no matter how much higher the damage is, until this amount is paid out.”
It is not yet possible to say how much damage there will be in the affected region.
After a disaster, there is a risk of financial ruin – what now?
Storm damage often means financial ruin for those affected, and many are left with the ruins of their existence. Therefore, numerous state and private institutions offer their support.
The state of Carinthia provides support for damage after natural disasters. The control, assessment and distribution of the funds is carried out by the Carinthian Emergency Aid Agency.
Although financial support is extremely low in most cases, other aid organizations such as the Red Cross are ensuring that those affected are provided with essential items such as clothing, hygiene products and others.
By the way: After a disaster, the repair of damage can also be fully included as an extraordinary burden in the employee assessment. The Chamber of Labor offers support in this.
During the recent storms in the Liesertal, it rained 130 liters per square meter. The situation is devastating: the storm caused the greatest damage to the public infrastructure, but also several private houses are meters deep in the mud. Therefore, the clean-up work continues.
A dilemma that many storm victims know: the entire basement is flooded, and you should have been working a long time ago. “If you have been hit by a storm, you should contact your employer immediately and explain what has happened,” explains Maximilian Turrini, head of the labor law department at the Carinthian Chamber of Labor.
But the personal service prevention only applies for a certain period. “If the cellar is still under water and is pumped out, then you have to get back to work,” the expert informs in an interview with the “Krone”.
However, if the route to work is removed or blocked for a longer period of time, as in the Binnenkrems, then the employer may not demand that you come to work! “You should always discuss the details directly with the employer, so that no misunderstandings can arise.”
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
