As Winter Storm Fern brings significant ice accumulation, heavy snow, and dangerous cold across more than 20 states, 1-800-INSURANCE is opening its national hotline to anyone who needs help navigating the aftermath—whether they're a customer or not.
Hotline connects callers with immediate resources
The storm is moving from the Southern Plains through the Ohio Valley and into New England on January 24th, 2026. Ice accumulations of several inches are possible in some areas, causing widespread power outages, hazardous travel conditions, frozen pipes, and property damage. Multiple states have declared emergencies, including Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Virginia, and West Virginia.
"Since day one at 1-800-INSURANCE, we've been committed to doing insurance the right way—and that means showing up for people when it matters," said Kirk Brunson. "These aren't just customers. They're our neighbors. When something like this happens, we want to do what we can to help people get through it."
Helping
Callers to 1-800-INSURANCE during the storm can receive assistance in three key areas:
- Emergency response: Connections to Red Cross chapters, local emergency management offices, power outage information, and utility providers
- Insurance service support: Help reaching carrier service lines and guidance on documenting damage—photos, receipts, and temporary repairs—to support the claims process
- Restoration and recovery: Referrals to trusted restoration professionals for burst pipes, water damage, roof damage, and storm cleanup
"People are dealing with a lot right now—downed power lines, frozen pipes, travel disruptions," said Gregory Patnod. "If we can save someone an hour of searching for the right phone number or point them toward a reliable contractor, that's worth picking up the phone."
Affected areas
The storm is impacting Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and New England. Residents in affected areas can call 1-800-INSURANCE for assistance or visit 1800insurance.com/winter-storm-fern-2026 for additional information.