After a hurricane, snowstorm, or other severe disaster, homeowners’ insurance can be crucial to recovery. However, it’s critical to act fast and comprehend what your policy covers. Here are Tips for Filing an Insurance Claim After a Storm.
Examine your homeowner’s insurance coverage
Making sure you and your family are safe comes first. Following that, according to Mark Friedlander, a spokesman for the Insurance Information Institute, it’s important to determine what is covered by your homeowners’ insurance policy. To find out what kinds of damage are covered and what your coverage limitations are, see the declarations page of your homeowners’ insurance.
A policy’s key differences might cost thousands of dollars. For instance, although some insurance policies would only pay the actual monetary worth for items that are damaged, others will cover the replacement cost. Replacement cost coverage can assist in covering the price of a new, comparable TV if a burst pipe destroys your five-year-old TV. While accounting for five years of depreciation, the actual cash value will only pay what the insurer believes the TV was worth just before it was destroyed.
You should also look up your deductible. The amount of a claim your insurer expects you to pay is known as a deductible. Thus, if a storm causes $10,000 in damage to your property and you have a $1,000 deductible, the insurance company will pay $9,000 and you’ll be responsible for the remaining $9,000 in costs.
Some insurances have separate deductibles for claims resulting from hurricanes or windstorms and all other claims. The hurricane or windstorm deductible in these circumstances could be expressed as a percentage of your dwelling coverage. You would be responsible for the first $5,000 of windstorm damage, for instance, if your property has a $250,000 windstorm deductible.
To make sure you comprehend what your policy covers, get in touch with your insurer or agent if there are any questions.
Inform your insurance about the claim
Inform your agent or insurance provider soon away if a storm damages your house and you need to file a claim.
As a result of the anticipated high volume of claims, David Sampson, president and chief executive officer of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, advises that it is crucial to file your claim or contact your agent or firm as soon as possible.
According to Friedlander, technology will be your ally in explaining what occurred. “If possible, take pictures of it. While video is preferable, you should at the very least take images with your phone to record the damage.
Usually, an adjuster from your insurance company will visit your home to assess the damage. Omar Ochoa Law Firm advises attending the visit in person. If you’re unable to attend, leave a message with your contact details so the adjuster can get in touch with you.
