property damage insurance claim

The Lowdown On Making A Property Damage Insurance Claim

Any property owner can end up finding it necessary to file a property damage insurance claim due to damages from a fire or storm. Sometimes an injury may occur on your property, which may also require that a claim be filed. 

Before filing a claim, ensure that you go over your insurance policy carefully to find out what exclusions, limits, and add-on provisions – such as additional coverage for big-ticket items – may be included in your policy. It’s also important to find out if there’s a time limit on when you can file your claim. The most important part of making a claim is the documentation, which includes retaining receipts and documenting who you talk to by logging the date, time, and details of discussions. You may end up talking to several people, so documenting who you’ve spoken to and when should help your file process run much more smoothly.

If you have any questions or concerns, talk to your insurance broker.

Here are some property damage claim tips for you to consider:

Police Report

Your property insurance provider may require a police report to be filed, depending on the situation. Once this report is filed, provide it to your insurance company to support your claim. Many property insurance policies require a police report if theft or an act of vandalism has occurred, for example.

Your Insurance Company

Call your insurance company as soon as possible after the incident occurs to file your claim. The claims department will assign your case a claims number and an insurance adjuster, and he or she will be responsible for assessing the damage and estimating the costs. The adjuster’s job is to help your insurance company determine how much will be paid out to you for replacement or repairs.

Document Damage

If your property has been damaged, photograph, or videotape the damage so you can provide proof to your insurance company. You may need this documentation if the insurance company gives you a lower payout than expected and you need to appeal. If there was an injury involved, log all the details, such as the date, time, and specifics of the incident. Providing these details to your insurance company can help the claims process move more quickly.

Repairs

If you have a leaky roof or water damage that may make your home unlivable, consider temporary repairs if doing nothing could cause further damage. Keep all these receipts for repairs, as well, and give them to your insurance company so they can reimburse you. You will want to make copies for your own records. 

Additional Expenses

If you found it necessary to leave your home and you need to make a claim for additional living expenses, make sure you keep all of the receipts for costs to be reimbursed.

If you’re planning on filing a property damage insurance claim, keep in mind that here at Ascension General Contractors we are always ready to help you get back to normal as quickly as possible. We are a full-service repair company, and proud to serve Nashville residents.