Open Letter to Will Ray: Stop Blocking Access for Insurance Adjusters in North Carolina

Dear Will Ray,

As the Director of North Carolina Emergency Management, your role is to ensure that all resources are mobilized efficiently to help the people of our state recover after a disaster.

However, your current approach is falling short. We are witnessing an unnecessary bottleneck that is preventing insurance adjusters from entering affected areas and helping the people who desperately need support.

This is unacceptable.

Right now, countless North Carolinians are waiting to assess their property damage, file claims, and receive financial assistance from their insurance companies.

These are not luxuries; they are essential steps in the recovery process. Yet, your decision to restrict access to insurance adjusters is creating unnecessary delays and prolonging the suffering of those affected by recent disasters.

This bureaucratic roadblock needs to end.

We understand the need for caution and prioritizing first responders when roads are dangerous or conditions are unstable.

But if first responders are being granted access, why not extend this access to insurance adjusters as well? These professionals are equipped to navigate difficult conditions and have a critical role in providing immediate assistance to policyholders.

By classifying insurance adjusters as first responders, they can begin helping residents assess their losses, process claims, and secure the funds needed to start rebuilding. This is not merely a request for convenience; it is a necessity.

The current situation is dire.

We hear reports of homeowners unable to get claims processed simply because adjusters are being blocked at checkpoints.

This delay directly impacts the livelihoods of North Carolinians. Many policyholders are left in limbo, unsure when they will receive the support they need to move forward.

Each day of inaction causes more financial distress, more uncertainty, and more heartache for those who have already suffered enough.

Will Ray, the time for excuses is over. It is within your power to change this situation.

We call on you to immediately contact the North Carolina Insurance Commissioner and work together to inform the insurance companies operating in our state.

Request that they deploy their adjusters with the assurance that they will be allowed to pass through checkpoints and begin assisting policyholders without further delay.

By not addressing this issue, you are effectively blocking access to recovery funds that are vital for rebuilding homes, businesses, and lives.

The roadblocks you are putting up for insurance adjusters are, in essence, roadblocks to the recovery of North Carolina itself.

This does not align with the mission of emergency management, which is to support and expedite recovery efforts.

We implore you to act now.

Open the lines of communication with the Insurance Commissioner, instruct companies to deploy their adjusters, and clear the way for them to access the areas where they are needed most.

North Carolinians are counting on you to do the right thing.

End the bureaucratic red tape and facilitate the recovery process for those who have lost so much.

Sincerely,

Friends of North Carolina