BRANTLEY COUNTY, Ga. — Action News Jax has told you about Brantley County residents staying in shelters and road closures being lifted, allowing people to return home. Now, we’re learning what evacuees should do next after returning home.
The Brantley County Sheriff’s Office wants them to take some precautions.
Don’t clean up debris immediately. Damage assessments are still ongoing, and cleaning makes it difficult to accurately document losses. The accuracy of loss calculations directly impacts your eligibility for financial aid.
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Action News Jax previously showed you that a car lot, Morgan Automotive, was one of the Highway 82 Fire’s victims. Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cars went up in smoke — to the dismay of the lot’s 50+ year old owner, who started this business when he was 19.
According to the Florida-based Merlin Law Group, wildfire-impacted businesses must file for “business interruption.” It covers lost income, expenses, and payroll while repairs are made. But this requires documentation such as profit and loss statements and tax returns.
As for homeowners, Florida-based Sandstone Insurance Partners says you have 60 days from the date of loss under the Georgia Standard Fire Policy. In Florida, you have 1 year.
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If you were evacuated but your home wasn’t damaged, Sandstone says you still have a claim. Most homeowners’ insurance policies have civil authority coverage within the “ALE”, or additional living expenses section.
It pays for food, housing, and travel costs racked up from a government evacuation order that prevents you from living at home, even if flames never touched your property.
Brantley County is opening up a free garbage site for debris next week.
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