How To Get The Most From Your Home Insurance Claims

No one ever wants to need to use their home insurance policies. They purchase a policy because it’s necessary and it’s a smart thing to have in case of emergency or accident, but no one ever wants a situation to arise where they’ll actually have to use it. Most insurance companies, however, will do everything they can to cut corners and not pay your claims and cover what they should. They often prolong the process, and as a result, only 10%-20% of homeowners actually follow through with claims they’ve filed with their home insurance companies. One main reason for this is emotionally based. If a tree falls on your home and damages the roof and ceiling during a storm, you’ll want to have it fixed immediately. So, instead of waiting a lengthy amount of time for your insurance agent to follow through, often you’ll decide to handle the issue yourself and then end up with a hefty bill. This isn’t the way that it should be. Review your coverage When you purchase a home insurance policy, make sure that you go over it and understand it before purchasing it. A lot of insurance policies are purposely vague, so you really don’t have a good idea of what you’re purchasing and what’s covered. You want to make sure that the things that may become issues for you are actually covered. For example, if you live in an area with heavy winds, but don’t have any wind damage coverage, you’ll have to foot the bill in the event of a wind storm blowing your fence away. Take photos and videos Photographic proof is going to be one of the easiest ways to backup your damage claims. When you move into a new home, take pictures of anything that could incur damage. Ceilings, roofs, fences, windows, etc. This way, when damage occurs, you have proof that it wasn’t always damaged. Temporary repairs Some insurance companies will dismiss your claims as a result of them waiting too long. If a window is broken or roof damaged, you should get a temporary solution and save your receipts. Don’t assume something isn’t covered Just because something specific isn’t covered doesn’t mean the causation of the problem isn’t covered. Maybe a window broke, which isn’t covered, but if it was broken by a felled tree caused by wind, which is covered, they would be responsible for paying the claim. They’ll try to take advantage of loopholes, so you should, too.

Story taken from Grant Porter from Citywide Home Loans