About John Dwayne, the Claims Answer Man
A claims professional who has also been the homeowner waiting for answers. Who John is, why he built this course, and what it can and can’t do for you.
- NFIP Certified Adjuster
- FEMA Housing Inspector (retired)
- Host of the HOI Exposed podcast
- Education only. No cut of your claim.
John’s background: adjuster, inspector, homeowner
Quick answer
Who is John Dwayne, the Claims Answer Man?
John Dwayne is an NFIP Certified Adjuster, a retired FEMA Housing Inspector and the host of the HOI Exposed podcast. He also went through his own long homeowners insurance claim after severe winter storm damage. He created Claims Answer Man, a video course that teaches homeowners how the claim process works, step by step.
NFIP Certified Adjuster. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is the federal flood insurance program managed by FEMA. Adjusters who handle NFIP flood claims must be registered with the program and meet its experience and training requirements. Most homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flood, so flood work shows clearly where homeowners coverage stops and flood coverage starts. Our flood insurance claim guide explains where that line falls.
FEMA Housing Inspector (retired). After a declared disaster, FEMA may send a housing inspector to the home of someone who has applied for federal assistance. The inspector walks through the home and records the damage the disaster caused. Inspectors don’t decide who gets assistance, and FEMA never charges a fee for an inspection. Every real FEMA inspector carries an official photo ID, so a shirt or jacket with a FEMA logo isn’t proof. That work put John in neighborhoods soon after disasters, face to face with the people living through them.
Podcast host. John hosts the podcast of Homeowners Insurance Exposed, the organization behind Claims Answer Man.
- NFIP Certified Adjuster
- FEMA Housing Inspector (retired)
- Host, HOI Exposed podcast
- Homeowner who went through a long winter storm claim
Part of Homeowners Insurance Exposed
Claims Answer Man is the homeowner education program of Homeowners Insurance Exposed, often called HOI Exposed. The two are connected, but they have different jobs.
HOI Exposed is the public awareness side: industry news, homeowner stories and the podcast John hosts. Claims Answer Man is the teaching side: a calm, step-by-step course and free guides that show you how a claim works. You can read more about how the two fit together.
John’s own claim: when the expert became the homeowner
When severe winter storm damage hit his own home, John became the policyholder (the person who owns the insurance policy) instead of the professional.
His homeowners claim involved Travelers Insurance, his insurer, and Vertex Engineering, an engineering firm. It became a long claim. We name both companies only as plain facts about John’s own experience. This page isn’t a review of either company, and it makes no statement about how they handle anyone else’s claim.
The experience showed John how confusing a claim can be for an ordinary homeowner, even for someone with his background. If it was hard going for him, it’s harder still for someone learning the vocabulary from scratch while living away from home.
In some claims, especially when the cause of the damage is in question, the insurer asks an engineer or another specialist to inspect the home and give an opinion. If that happens in your claim, you can ask your insurer in writing for a copy of the report. The course gives these inspections two full lessons: one in module 3 on what happens when the insurer sends an engineer or specialist and how to read the report, and one in module 6 on disagreeing with an engineer report in writing. If wind, ice or snow damaged your home, our guide to storm damage claims covers the basics.
Why John built Claims Answer Man
When John pulls into a disaster site, homeowners gather around him with questions. Claims Answer Man grew out of those moments, his professional work with property damage and claims, and his time on the homeowner’s side of his own claim.
The questions people ask after a loss are practical. What do I do first? Can I throw this out yet? Why is my check smaller than the estimate? Who is the person knocking on my door? None of these are foolish questions. They’re what anyone would ask when a process they never studied suddenly decides how their home gets repaired.
One person can only answer so many questions in a driveway. Claims Answer Man is John’s way of answering them for everyone, in order, from the first phone call to the final payment. The course lessons follow the path a claim usually takes, so you can find where you are and learn the next step.
What Claims Answer Man is, and what it isn’t
We’re a school for homeowners. Knowing what we’re not matters just as much, so here’s the short list.
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A video course
31 video lessons in seven modules that teach the homeowners insurance claim process step by step, with worksheets and checklists you can print.
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Free guides
Short articles on common claims and coverage terms, free to read without signing up.
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Not a law firm
We don’t give legal advice or represent anyone. For a legal question about your claim, talk to a licensed attorney in your state.
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Not a public adjuster
We don’t negotiate with your insurer or take a percentage of your payment. Hiring a licensed public adjuster is a separate, paid option you can learn about.
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Not an insurance company
We don’t sell policies, decide coverage or pay claims. Your policy and your state’s rules decide those things.
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Not a contractor
We don’t inspect, estimate or repair homes. The course teaches you how to work with the contractor you choose.
How we teach, and what we promise
Every guide on this site is written for a homeowner reading on a phone. We define insurance terms the first time we use them, and we point to official sources such as the NAIC, FEMA and state insurance departments so you can check the facts yourself.
We don’t promise outcomes. No course can raise a policy limit or guarantee a payment. Learning can help you spot missing items, ask clear questions, keep a written record, and recognize when a licensed public adjuster or attorney may be worth calling. Not sure where to begin? Our claim help guides are sorted by type of damage and by the problem you face. To see how a lesson, its worksheet and the next step fit together, read how the course works.
How we research and check our guides
Every guide is written by the Claims Answer Man team for homeowners, not for insurance professionals. Here’s how we keep the facts straight.
- Primary sources first. We start with the source of the rule: the state statute or regulation, the state insurance department, FEMA and the NFIP. Groups such as the NAIC and Triple-I are used for background. Every guide lists the sources it relies on.
- State rules are checked one by one. A deadline or dollar figure goes on a state page only after we’ve read it on an official source, and each state page shows the date its facts were last checked.
- Dates mean something. “Updated” is the last time the content of a page changed in substance. Small fixes don’t move it.
- Reviews are named. When John Dwayne has reviewed a guide, the page says so by name. If no reviewer is shown, that review hasn’t happened yet.
- Corrections. If something looks wrong or out of date, tell us through the contact page and include the page address. We check it against the source and fix the page.
Questions about John and Claims Answer Man
Does John handle claims for homeowners through Claims Answer Man?
No. Through Claims Answer Man, John teaches. He doesn’t represent homeowners, negotiate with insurance companies, or give legal advice through this site. The course shows you how the process works so you can take part in your own claim. If you want someone to act for you, a licensed attorney, or a public adjuster licensed in your state, is the right person to ask.
Why does this page name Travelers Insurance and Vertex Engineering?
Travelers Insurance and Vertex Engineering were the insurer and the engineering firm involved in John’s own winter storm claim, which is the reason he built the course. We name them only as facts about his experience, not as a judgment of either company. The lessons aren’t about any one insurer. They teach how homeowners claims generally work, whoever your insurance company is.
How does flood claim experience help someone with a homeowners claim?
Flood claims under the National Flood Insurance Program follow their own federal rules, separate from a homeowners policy. Working those claims gives an adjuster a clear view of where homeowners coverage ends and flood coverage begins, and of how damage is measured, documented and priced. The course passes that inside view on to you, one stage at a time.
Is John the same person who hosts the HOI Exposed podcast?
Yes. John hosts the podcast for Homeowners Insurance Exposed. The podcast focuses on industry news and homeowner stories, while Claims Answer Man teaches the claim process step by step. You can learn how the two connect on our Homeowners Insurance Exposed page.
John is a retired FEMA inspector. Can he help with my FEMA application?
No. Claims Answer Man has no role in FEMA applications or decisions, and John no longer inspects for FEMA. If you have homeowners insurance, FEMA asks you to file your insurance claim right away, because it can’t pay for costs your insurance covers. It may help with needs insurance doesn’t meet, and it will ask for your insurer’s settlement or denial letter. You apply directly with FEMA.
Sources for this page
- FEMA: Home Inspections (inspectors record damage, do not decide eligibility, never charge a fee, carry official photo ID) (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA: Flood Insurance (NFIP is managed by FEMA; most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage) (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA Emergency Management Institute, IS-1104: NFIP adjuster standards and requirements (registration, experience, training) (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA: Assistance for Survivors with Insurance Coverage (file with your insurer first; FEMA cannot duplicate insurance payments) (opens in a new tab)
- NAIC: Public Adjuster Consumer Outreach Notice (public adjusters work for and are paid by the policyholder) (opens in a new tab)
- NAIC: A Consumer’s Guide to Home Insurance (opens in a new tab)
- NAIC: State Insurance Departments directory (opens in a new tab)
Start with the free checklist
A printable list of what to do, photograph and keep after damage. Join the early-access list to hear when the full course opens.
Educational only. Claims Answer Man is not a law firm, public adjuster, insurer or contractor. Nothing on this page is legal advice, and John does not review or handle individual claims through this site.