1. DO
Check to see if you’re covered. Many homeowners mistakenly
believe their regular homeowners insurance covers flood damage,
which is separate coverage. However, filing a claim for which
you’re not covered still can be counted against you.
Pay attention to your claim history. If you’ve filed a claim within
the past two or three years, filing another claim so soon could
cause your insurer to consider you higher-risk and hit you with
higher premiums.
Get help if you’re rejected. If your claim is rejected and you believe
it should have been accepted, you can seek legal consultation or
have a third-party adjuster evaluate your claim. You may be able
to dispute the rejection and get the coverage you need.
Read and understand your policy. Knowing what’s in your policy
can help you know when to file a claim and when it will be more
trouble than it’s worth. You don’t want to find you’re making a
mistake after receiving your latest bill.
DON’T
File claims for home improvement projects. Replacing
your roof or windows may be a good idea for keeping your
home protected from damages, but that doesn’t mean your
homeowners insurance should be paying for it. Paying for such
projects out of pocket not only keeps your claims history clean
but also means you could benefit from lower premiums by
keeping your home well-maintained.
File if your claim won’t exceed your deductible. Not only will this
result in your claim being rejected, but it also will negatively
impact your claims history and make you a higher risk in the
eyes of your insurer.
File for damages caused by a maintenance issue you didn’t
address earlier. If you’re putting off fixing your old roof until that
dead tree branch falls onto it, don’t count on your insurance to
help you. Filing claims that you could have avoided only hurts
your claims history and results in higher premiums.
Be out when the adjuster is there. Unless you absolutely can’t,
you should be at your home when the adjuster arrives to inspect
the damage. You may not be able to influence the adjuster’s
decision, but it’s important to be present and pleading your
case all the same.
ADJUSTING TO
DISASTER:
A CLAIM FILING CHECKLIST
www.expertpublicadjusters.com
Here are some important tips to consider before filing a homeowners insurance claim