While grocery and hardware stores were dealing with preparations for Hurricane Sandy, cleanup operations and insurance companies were bracing for the aftermath.

McGuinness Tree Service in Nashua spent the better part of the past year helping residents clean up after the last October storm. The company is expecting its 90-ton crane, bucket trucks, chippers and log trucks to be put to the test in the weeks ahead.

“The trucks are being fueled up. Saws have been serviced. New cutting knives are being fitted to the brush chippers,” said sales manager Jim McGuinness. “The time to prepare for a storm is not the day before it’s going to hit.”

Insurers say they have made the usual preparations for a hurricane — activating claims teams and deploying adjusters. “We plan for weather events such as this, so we feel well-prepared with resources strategically positioned to quickly assist customers who may be impacted,” Travelers spokesman Matthew Bordonaro said in an email to Reuters News Service.

Chubb, another of the major insurers in the Northeast, told Reuters early Sunday that it has been working for days to move staff around so they are positioned to respond. State Farm, the country’s largest home and auto insurer, said it had agents and catastrophe teams on standby waiting for Sandy’s arrival.

New Hampshire Insurance Commissioner Roger Sevigny urged residents affected by storm damage to contact his office for assistance and referral. “We will do whatever we can to help find the right resources and information to assist New Hampshire residents to recover from this natural disaster,” he said.

Sevigny urged residents to make repairs necessary to prevent further damage in the wake of the storm by covering broken windows, leaking roofs and damaged walls, but to avoid making permanent repairs until the insurance company has inspected the property and agreed to the cost of repairs.

“An insurance company might deny a claim if you make permanent repairs before the damage is inspected,” he said.

Sevigny also offered the following tips:

• Separate damaged and undamaged articles and do not throw away damaged property until an insurance adjuster has seen it, unless authorities require you to dispose of it.

• Take photographs of damaged property, especially those things you must dispose of, like spoiled food or wet carpeting.

• If possible, get more than one bid for your repairs. Ask for references and consider checking with the Better Business Bureau or the Attorney General’s Office about the contractor. Ask for proof of necessary licenses, building permits, insurance and bonding. Record the license plate number and driver’s license of the contractor.

• Be wary of contractors who demand up-front payment before work is initiated or payment in full before work is completed. If the contractor needs payment to buy supplies, consider going with the contractor and paying the supplier directly.

• Save all receipts, including those from the temporary repairs covered by your insurance policy. Be prepared to provide the claims adjuster with records of any improvements you made prior to the damage.

• Check all policies for opportunities for reimbursement, like loss of food due to spoilage, falling tree damage and similar losses that could be covered by auto, homeowner or other policies.

• File claims as soon as possible. Don’t let bills or receipts pile up. Call your agent or your company’s claims hotline as soon as possible. Your policy might require that you make notification within a certain time frame.

• Provide complete, correct information. Incorrect or incomplete information will only cause a delay in processing your claim.

• Keep copies of all correspondence. Write down the information about your telephone and in-person contacts, including the date, name and title of the person you spoke with and what was said. Keep a record of your time and expense.

dsolomon@unionleader.com