We have had several severe storms over the last few years. We have had hurricanes, strong winds, tornadoes and flood damage. If your home has been affected, you know how stressful it can be wondering what needs to be done first and how fast your insurance company can honor your claim.
Here are a few suggestions to help your insurance company help you faster:
Make sure you and your family are safe.
Before the storm, make sure that you have a safe place while waiting for the storm to pass. After the storm, do not enter your residence unless you know that there is no danger of injury. Even after the storm, roofs can collapse, or tree branches can unexpectedly fall to the ground. Your safety is the first priority.
Contact your insurance agent or insurer as soon as possible.
Many insurance companies limit the length of time you have to file a claim. A time limit is to encourage the start of repairs and restoration as soon as possible to prevent even more damage. Timely notification will provide support during a stressful time and advice as to how to proceed so that repairs can be made quickly.
Collect as much information as you can about the damage.
If possible, determine if the damage is minor — tree damage to a fence or gazebo — or if the damage is significant — such as a roof collapse or flooding. When you can, remove light debris from your property and check your fence line for damage. Examine your property as best as you can to determine major areas of concern. It is important to note that before discarding damaged household items, check with your insurer first. Your agent may want to see the damaged items in order to better assess your total amount of loss for compensation.
If it is safe to do so, take photos of the damage.
Documenting your loss can be a great help to the insurance company. Although an insurance adjustor will need to see the damage first-hand, documenting the loss can be helpful. If there are purchase receipts, hold onto to these and present them to the insurance adjuster when asked. In addition, if you are ordered by your municipality to discard items for safety reasons, the photographs will help document the missing items and the extent of damage.
Contact your insurance agent for further instructions regarding where you can stay if the damage was significant and you can no longer stay in your home. It is important to work with your agent and the company’s representatives. Do not accept “fly-by-night” repair work. After a storm, scammers show up offering quick repairs and speedy work. Do not start cleaning up your property until the adjustor has had a chance to inspect the damage. Then utilize the services of a bonded and insured professional with the approval of your insurance company.