 Cal OES logo, quick look, OESnews.com. Welcome inside the newsroom, I'm Jonathan Goodell. With rebuilding underway for counties affected by California wildfires, there are numerous avenues for residents to take when deciding where to begin the process. Among those vital resources is the Department of Insurance and what they can do to ease the burden. We have two roles. One is to help consumers, policyholders, homeowners with their recovery of their insurance proceeds. The second is a law enforcement function to deter and, if necessary, arrest scam artists and fraudsters that typically come into the areas to try to take advantage of people. To assist with the process, we gather some of the most important tips from the Department of Insurance to help you get started. The first thing you need to do is call your insurance company, your insurance agent, and ask for a copy of your policy and have them walk you through the contents of that policy. Next, inquire about additional living expense coverage. This could help you recover costs associated with having to evacuate. Most homeowners insurance policies have coverage for your out-of-pocket expenses when you've been evacuated. Even if your home hasn't been touched by the fire or the disaster, you can still be entitled to get your lodging costs, your transportation costs, your food costs. Anything associated with your living expenses while you were evacuated outside the home might be covered. Make sure to document all those costs and keep receipts in order to potentially recover out-of-pocket expenses. Each situation is unique and specific to the coverage you have in your insurance policy and what it's going to cost to replace your homes. Here are some additional disaster insurance tips to ease the process. Document all conversations with your agent about your claim. If an item is excluded, limited, or subject to certain conditions, have the adjuster point that out in the provision in your policy. Get licensed contractor estimates on your rebuild. This will give you a reasonable sense of the actual cost as compared to your coverage limits. It's important to understand that this is going to be a very long and challenging recovery process, and oftentimes it can take people two years or longer to rebuild their home. Here's what else you need to know regarding your insurance. You still can receive benefits even if rebuilding at another location. Assess the situation. Do not rush into decisions. Do not assume you have inadequate coverage. Evaluate if you need an attorney to assist with your claim. And call the insurance hotline for any additional questions at 1-800-927-4357. It's important to note that in a declared disaster, you may cancel a contract within five calendar days of the agreement. Also, know that there is a fee to hire a public adjuster. Our mission is to help you get through this process. For additional details or questions, contact the Department of Insurance directly. Again, that number is 800-927-4357. Or find more information via their website at insurance.ca.gov. That's it for this week's show. For all of us here at Cal OES, I'm Jonathan Goodell. Thanks for watching. Visit our online newsroom at oesnews.com to learn more about this program and get the latest news and information from our team. Don't miss our next video on your Facebook timeline. Like our page and you'll get the latest posts as they happen. If you're an Instagram user, you can see the latest snapshots by following our Cal OES Instagram account. And Twitter users can get instant access to our tweets from across the state by following Cal OES.