The following is priceless if you are considering making a claim for the first time or if you are reopening a claim for which you have already been paid.
Many times people trust the adjuster from their insurance company to adjust their claims. There are only a couple of other choices, including hiring an attorney who charges large sums of money or hiring a public adjuster who takes a percentage of the settlement. With only these options, many people choose to just rely on their insurance company to come up with a fair estimate, as it seems the simplest alternative.
Be smart! The insurance company is a business! They are out there to make money, and one of the ways that they do this is to manage your claim and reduce the money they pay you for your damages.
Always keep in mind that the insurance company is using a structured system to make sure that you are not overpaid. You are the only one who can make sure that you are not underpaid!
How to File Your Claim
Sometimes people feel guilty about filing a claim. Do not feel guilty! The insurance company is glad to collect your monthly premium, so you should be fine with accepting money for your damages! That is why you have insurance!
There are some specific duties that are required of you as a homeowner who is filing a claim. They are simple, but necessary steps that you must take when starting the process.
1 Get in touch with the insurance company as soon as possible when reporting your damages.
You may not have reported the damages right after they occurred, in
which case you will need to send a letter explaining your reason for
this. Echo Restoration Services would be happy to assist you with
this.
2. Protect your property from any further damages.
Try to prevent any further damage by covering or securing your
roof. Also, make sure that you keep track of any expenses involved
in this step, so that you can be reimbursed by the insurance
company.
3. Provide the insurance company with a “proof of loss”.
You will be made aware if your insurance company requires a proof
of loss, as well as any other accompanying documents.
4. Supplementary or additional documentation:
The insurance company has the right to request the original
blueprints or specifications, if the property was involved in a
tornado, for example.
5. Damaged and undamaged property.
You will need to be prepared to show the insurance company the
damaged areas, making sure that they are clearly marked off or easy
to point out.
6. Proper accounting documentation.
This step is suggested to protect both you and the insurance
company. The insurance company prefers to make copies of all
monies or original receipts in order to make sure that there are no
alterations made. You should make copies for yourself to protect
from discrepancies.
7. Submit to a statement (examination) under oath.
Do not confuse a statement under oath with a recorded statement.
An adjuster who requests a recorded statement is not always
suspicious of your claim, it may just be company procedure.
