Nobody would want to have their property damaged at any time, and most people would take extra measures to ensure their safety at all times. However, it can’t be denied that the possibility of this happening is probably higher than you realize.
The Insurance Information Institute had previously reported that almost 6% of homeowners with insurance coverage had actually filed a claim in 2018. Of these claims, more than 90% of them were about property damage.
After all the stress and anxiety that the incident has caused, you probably feel that the last thing you need at this time is to feel harassed as you process your property damage claim. Unfortunately, there are many technical terms in insurance policies, and they are quite confusing to tackle by yourself. This can make the claiming process more complicated and frustrating than it should be.
According to Century Public Adjusters, a public adjuster in Orlando, “The claims process can be grueling enough to go through and even worse when you get paid way less than you deserve. When you file a claim, the insurance company goes through many stages before you get approved or denied, including the appraisal process.” And if you are filing for an extensive or complex claim, the process is even harder than usual.
Here are some tips to make your claims processing go more smoothly.
Understand Your Insurance Policy
Before filing your claim, you need to know what damages are covered by your insurance policy, and which are under the exemptions. It is also necessary for you to have a clear understanding of the requirements and processes involved when filing a claim.
When you find confusing terms or statements that are unclear, it is best to first consult with a lawyer or an insurance specialist before proceeding with your claim. You also need to ensure that you are filing the right claim under your insurance policy because policies have different clauses and provisions, depending on the type of policy and the insurance company. By knowing your rights under the policy, you will save yourself from a lot of heartaches, assumptions, and wasted efforts down the line.
Be Clear About Your Claim
A common mistake that claimants usually make is failing to clearly convey the details of the claim to their insurance company. This can cause delays in the claims processing as the insurance company would need more time to investigate and gather the information that they need to verify the claim.
To avoid these delays, do your best to describe the incident as well as the particulars of the property damage as concisely as possible. It is also best to file the claim right after the incident so that your memory is still fresh, and there is less likelihood of forgetting some details that could be relevant to your case. Aside from this, the sooner your insurance company receives the complete information about the claim, the faster the process will be.
Ensure Proper Documentation
When you file a claim for property damage, you should be able to present proof of the incident as well as of the damage itself. This will help preserve a record of what actually happened, which is important not only for record purposes but also to support your claims should some changes occur before the insurance representative is able to physically inspect the property.
Take a lot of photos on location right after you discover the damage. Cover all angles to properly showcase the extent of the damage. Resist the temptation to clean up, and avoid touching anything before enough documentation has been saved.
Go over your receipts and see if there is anything that could prove the property’s value or its repair estimates. In case you have photos showing the condition of the property before the incident, it is best to send them over with the claim so that the insurance company can compare the “before” and “after” when assessing the situation.
Get Help From A Specialist
Despite all your preparations, there is still a good chance that you could miss out on critical information because this is not your area of expertise. You may not be able to anticipate which details are critical to the insurance company’s evaluation, which could lead to delays in your claims processing. It could also get your claim undervalued, or cause the insurance company to outrightly reject the claim.
However, working with a specialist such as an insurance adjuster can prevent this from happening.
