Imagine you have invited people over for Thanksgiving dinner and just as your guests sit down, a tree burst down on your house. Luckily, your guests are unharmed but now you have a tree house to deal with. The last thing you should have to worry about is the hassle of filing a claim to your insurance company.
Your insurance agent should be helpful but you do not want to let them have full control when dealing with your home. There are certain steps you can take to make filing a claim easy and quick.
Home Insurance Inventory
An inventory of your household items will come in handy when you are filing a claim. There are different ways in which most insurances accept documentation, including receipts. The best way would be to have a folder where you keep your receipts of the more expensive items in your house. However, if over the years you have not collected receipts of larger purchases like furniture, major appliances, etc., there are other options.
If you bought your item with a store credit card, often times you can go back to the store to get a reprint of the original receipt. Also, some insurance companies will accept other documentation like proof of the charge on a credit record.
Photos are also a good documentation source that are accepted. Use discretion when photographing your belongings. For example, insurance companies don’t need a separate photo of each DVD you ever owned, but rather a picture of the DVD case including all the DVDs.
If a smaller appliance or electronic device should become damaged, some insurance companies will accept the original box as proof of ownership. This would work for smaller, technical items such as a computer or tablet.
Understanding Insurance Coverage
It is important to read your insurance policy thoroughly. If you know your policy, it allows you to be in full knowledge of your coverage, without relying on the words of the adjuster. Before filing a claim, it is important to not only know what is covered in your policy, but understand how it is covered. When reading your policy, you might find some disasters are not covered by most standard home insurances.
For example, home insurance does not cover damage from a flood, and may require you to obtain flood insurance to be covered for this type of damage. Flood insurance is defined as water that rises from the ground up, whereas home insurance will cover water damage from water that arrives from the inside, like a pipe bust.
Document the Damages
When an accident occurs and before filing a claim, your immediate next step is to document the damages. The best way to document the damages is to take photos at different angles to get the full extent of the amount of repair or replacement that will be needed. DO NOT repair an item before you’ve documented the damage.
Just be sure to ask yourself, “Why is this damage covered in my policy?” to be one step ahead of the adjuster.
Temporary Repairs and Reimbursement
So a tree fell on your roof and a storm is coming before the claims adjuster. Now, what do you do? If it is necessary for you to relocate to a hotel, be sure to call your adjuster and let them know what you have to do to keep your family safe. A good insurance company will reimburse you for travel and hotel stay. Make sure to take the name and phone number of the agent or adjuster you talk to, so your evacuation will be covered with proof.
To protect your house, only make temporary repairs to prevent further damage, instead of trying to completely repair the area. This might require you to buy material out of pocket, however you should keep the receipts in order to add to your claim amount.
The Insurance Claims Process
Once you have collected your evidence, you have will need to file a claim application. Some insurances have claim application forms online that you can print from a convenient location. If your insurance does not have printable forms, you will want to call the insurance and have a form emailed or mailed to you. When you are filing a claim, be sure to fill out the application completely and thoroughly. Each part of the form is equally important and will be referred to by an adjuster.
When you get your settlement, do not feel like the settlement is final. If you feel like your claim was worth a higher payout, you can always dispute or negotiate with the adjuster. Make sure you ask and receive the claim contract to search for any discrepancies.
When a major storm occurs, those looking to seize an opportunity to take advantage of vulnerable victims will increase overnight. Remember that a good deal is not always good quality. Be sure you ask many questions and look up their company reviews before hiring them. Do not feel like you are in too much of a rush for a quick fix that you do not have time shop around for the best quality or a decent price.
Do not let insurances take forever to close your case. Take down a name and date every time you talk to someone involved in the claim. You want to follow up with the underwriters and the claims adjuster to know the status or progress of your claim.
If you feel you are having problems with a claims process, don’t hesitate to contact The Byrd Law Firm at (409) 924-0660. We handle insurance disputes and negotiations.