Fire Alert: Auto Club Insured Members in San Diego Can Call Emergency Number for Claims Assistance

SAN DIEGO--Oct. 2, 20037, 2003--People insured by the Automobile Club of Southern California's affiliated Interinsurance Exchange, who have homes and vehicles damaged or threatened by today's wildfires in San Diego county, can call 1-800-67-CLAIM for assistance.

Auto Club Interinsurance Exchange claims specialists are now on the scene at several evacuation centers, but because of the magnitude of the blazes, they may not be at every center.

"If an Auto Club representative is not at your evacuation center and you are an Auto Club policyholder who has been evacuated, call 1-800-67-CLAIM," said Ray Trevethan, the Auto Club's group manager for specialized claims. "An adjuster will contact you within 30 minutes to make an appointment to provide assistance."

Those with auto insurance may also be eligible for claims assistance with vehicle rentals if their vehicles are lost or damaged due to the fire, depending on the coverage within the policy.

"During a catastrophic event such as this fire, we want our policyholders to know they can contact us immediately if they need our assistance," Trevethan said.

He urged policyholders to leave immediately if they are told to evacuate. He said it's not necessary to try to take insurance policies along as Auto Club insurance adjusters will be able to find individual policies through computer databanks.

Trevethan also advised policyholders in areas with a lot of ash in the air to turn off pool pumps so the filters don't get clogged.

As of Monday morning, the Auto Club's affiliated insurance company was covering losses for nearly 100 homes. People who lost homes or had their homes damaged were being assisted with payments for temporary housing and necessary clothing and household goods.