Maybe there’s a loud crash overhead. Perhaps it is smashing glass. Perhaps there’s a continuous drop of water from your kitchen ceiling. Any of these sounds could indicate that you should promptly learn how to file a home insurance claim.
You cannot simply sit back and wait for your insurance company to pay up. To ensure that you receive full payment for your home’s insurance claim, you must promptly report the issue, keep track of all expenses, and interact with the insurer. Here are seven suggestions to make the process easier.
1. File your home insurance claim immediately
Depending on your insurer, you may be able to file home insurance claims online, via an app, with your agent, or by contacting the business. No matter whatever technique you use, filing a claim immediately away can help you get money in your pocket faster.
When your insurer receives your claim, it will issue a claim number and dispatch an adjuster to inspect the damage. Shortly thereafter, the insurance company will make an initial payment — less your deductible — to cover the expected cost of repairs.
If your claim was filed due to storm damage, other houses in the vicinity were most likely affected as well. This means there will be more claims and a higher strain on your insurance. Submitting a claim right away can help you move to the head of the line.
2. Document the damage.
Taking photos and making an inventory of damaged objects allows you and your insurer to keep track of everything that needs to be fixed or replaced. The more information the insurance has, the better — therefore try to obtain images of labels and model numbers, particularly for more expensive things.
3. Make temporary repairs
If there is a hole in your roof, you do not have to live with it until an adjuster arrives. Once you’ve documented the damage for your insurer, you may undertake temporary repairs if it’s safe.
Stopgap repairs, such as blocking a leak or boards up a broken window, can help to avoid future problems while saving time and money. If you do not take timely action to resolve a problem and the insurer believes you should have, you may not be completely covered. Assume you don’t board up a broken window, and someone climbs through to take a television. Your insurance company may not pay for it.
As long as you preserve receipts and can explain why the repairs were necessary, you can include the costs in your claim with your insurer.
4. Communicate with your adjuster
Your insurance provider will assign an adjuster to handle the claim, who will be your principal point of contact throughout the process. You’ll want to describe the damage to them, answer any concerns they have, give expense documents, and keep them updated on the status of the repairs.
You’ll need to be your own strongest advocate. Remember, the adjuster represents the insurance company’s interests, not your own.
“Be politely assertive” with the adjuster, says Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, a nonprofit that advocates for people who have insurance. “Don’t come in with boxing gloves ready to fight.”
You can also employ a public insurance adjuster, who will handle the claim for you as the policyholder and advocate on your behalf with the insurer. A public adjuster often charges a percentage of the ultimate claim amount in exchange for their services. This can vary between 5% and 20%, depending on where you live and the size of the claim.
5. Save your receipts
You could spend a lot of money on interim repairs before receiving a payment from your insurance provider. Even if you receive an upfront check from the insurer, you must keep all receipts; estimates will not suffice. The initial payment usually does not cover the entire cost of repairs. If you want to get reimbursed in full, you must prove what you spent.
6. Consider your contractor
If your home is damaged, you are not required to hire the insurance company’s suggested contractor to do the repairs. According to Bach, insurers typically bring in companies with which they routinely collaborate. You can always obtain cost quotes from various contractors on your own.
Before hiring someone, we recommend that you conduct research by reading past customer reviews and checking their Better Business Bureau page. You might also look up the contractor on your state licensing agency’s website. Depending on the state, licensed contractors may be required to carry insurance, complete specific forms of training, and adhere to local construction rules.
7. Get help with living expenses
If your home has been so severely damaged that you are unable to live in it, your insurance company may be able to assist. A normal homeowners policy includes loss of use coverage, which will pay for expenses such as hotel stays and restaurant meals if you are unable to live at home. Again, retain all receipts to ensure you are properly reimbursed for this portion of your homeowners insurance claim.
