Becoming an Adult

Tips For Filing A Homeowners Insurance Claim

22 October 2018

Robin King

Homeowners insurance is designed to protect you financially in the event that your home is damaged or belongings are stolen. Most people have little or no experience filing a claim with their homeowners insurance company, so they do not understand the process or know what to expect. However, if your home has significant damage that needs to be repaired or you have been burglarized, you will need to act promptly in order to receive the money needed to make repairs or replace your stolen items. If you ever need to file a homeowners insurance claim, use the following tips:

Understand Your Policy

Prior to calling your homeowners insurance company, make sure that you completely understand your homeowners insurance policy. Review your policy to see what is covered and what is not. For example, if you have a flood in your home due to a broken pipe, your homeowners insurance policy should cover the costs of repairs minus your deductible. But if you have flooding in your home due to a severe storm or a hurricane, your homeowners insurance policy most likely will not cover the damage. Understanding your insurance policy will help make the process of filing a claim much easier and ensure that you do not waste your time.

File a Claim Promptly

When your home has suffered damage or belongings have been stolen, it is in your best interest to contact your homeowners insurance services company as quickly as possible. The sooner you call the insurance company, the sooner an insurance adjuster can come to your home and get the claims process started. Since it is important to call your insurance company in a very timely manner, always keep your policy information handy so you will have the right contact information and your policy number available.

Document Damage

After calling your insurance company, take the time to document the damage by taking photos. Any photographs that you take of damage to your home after it occurs can be very helpful for the claims adjuster and can help ensure that you receive the settlement that you deserve to have the damage repaired. It is always a good idea to take several photos of the damage to your home; make sure to take close-up shots as well as wide-angle shots. Print out the photos of the damage to your home, making sure to keep a set of copies for your own records. 

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