Mike Causey | We’ve shifted gears to help western N.C. with recovery efforts

I continue to be shocked and heartbroken by the destruction I’ve seen from Hurricane Helene in the western part of our state. I hope we will all do what we can to help our fellow North Carolinians who have lost their homes, their possessions and, in some cases, their loved ones to this tragedy.

We at the Department of Insurance are doing what we can to assist those in need. Two of the more visible things we’re doing are setting up victim assistance centers and insurance camps. Both are aimed at helping residents who’ve been impacted by Hurricane Helene. But the two have distinct missions.

Victim assistance centers provide in-person and on-the-ground recovery assistance and insurance-related support to those directly impacted by Hurricane Helene. If a victim does not have insurance, we will provide information about other organizations that may be able to assist residents.

We are setting up victim assistance centers in various communities in western North Carolina. So far, we’ve established them in North Wilkesboro, Gastonia and Boone. We have others scheduled in Spindale and Arden. We’re working on setting up other victim assistance centers.

At insurance camps, the Department of Insurance staff coordinates with insurance companies to set up camps where victims of Hurricane Helene can come in and speak with their insurance company representatives. The insurance company representatives can even help their clients file their claims.

So far, we’ve established an insurance camp in Banner Elk. Insurance camps are planned for Oct. 23-24 in Arden in Buncombe County. We’ll continue to work with insurance companies to set up more insurance camps and find ways of helping victims file their claims.

You can go to our special Hurricane Helene web page, www.ncdoi.gov/helene, to check the schedule for future victim assistance centers and insurance camps. You can find other useful resources on the web page, such as bulletins, press releases and ways you can donate and help those in need.

This special web page includes a link to insurance company phone numbers, information on how to be on the lookout for scammers and fraudsters who may want to rip you off and information on a Special Enrollment Period for Medicare beneficiaries who’ve been affected by Helene.

We also have consumer specialists ready to assist you. You may reach them by calling 855-408-1212 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

My heart and prayers continue to go out to everyone in western North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene. We will continue to work with hurricane victims during this recovery period.