Storm-Ravaged Neighbors Face Long Wait For Insurance Adjusters

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- A week after Superstorm Sandy, the new battle was with the insurance companies, with homeowners being told they will have to wait up to two weeks for adjusters to assess the damage.

As CBS 2's Jessica Schneider reported Monday, many residents said they just weren't getting any answers at all.

"This was my mother's home, and I have been here for 30 years," said Lee Lindgren of Breezy Point, Queens, "and I rebuilt it four years ago."

Lindgren and her son, Ryan, refused to leave their home as the storm arrived. The first floor was torn apart by flood waters, but they spent every day cleaning it, and clearing it out.

A week after the storm, it was a waiting game to see how much they would get from their insurance company to repair it.

"I would like to know what I should be doing," Lindgren said. "You know, if they could even shoot an e-mail with what everybody should be doing at this point."

The Lindgrens were told they would have to wait, however long, until insurance adjusters could get to them.

"This is an awfully big disaster," said Jeanne Salvatore of the Insurance Information Institute. "I mean, it affected a lot of people. Insurance companies will get to the people as soon as they can."

Salvatore recommended taking pictures before throwing anything away, and saving every receipt – even for the most minor repairs.

"You do want to talk to your insurance company and ask them what they will need to make the claim go as quickly as possible," she said.

As Lindgren and other homeowners like her waited, she said she also had to worry about the next storm, a Nor'easter predicted to hit the Tri-State Area on Wednesday.

"We're concerned about the other storm. Hopefully it won't do any more damage," she said. "I've got to find somewhere to stay that night. I won't stay here that night."

Many were feeling lucky, saying they still had a home to come back to, but devastated at the loss, expense and uncertainty of building it back up.

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