Home insurance can be extremely confusing, but unfortunately, this is by design. When having to file a claim on your homeowner's insurance, there are a lot of issues you may run into if you aren’t sure what to look out for. Accidents happen every day, and it’s important to know what mistakes to avoid!
Luckily for you, our public adjusters are here to help! Today, we are going over some of the most serious (and most common) mistakes homeowners make when filing an insurance claim. Read on to see what you can do to avoid making these mistakes yourself if you plan to try to DIY your claim.
Not Reading Your Policy
It’s very common; think about it have do you read through the new terms of service agreement online either? Don’t feel bad if you haven’t read your policy over backward and forward. In fact, some insurance policies are nearly impossible for the average person to read! This is often by design.
Many coverages are misleading, and although you may think something is covered, it could just be worded differently than you’d expect. Taking the time to read over your policy can save you a lot of money and headaches.
If you have any questions about your policy when you have a claim, give us a call at Liberty Adjusters. We will go over your policy with you and make sure you understand what is and isn’t covered to repair the damages.
Read More > Why Hire a Public Adjuster?
Not Having the Right Coverage
Similar to not knowing what is covered, there may be a lot of coverage you are lacking for a proper policy.
Having the right coverage must be done before any damage occurs, which is a huge reason many homeowners have their claims denied. Hindsight is 20-20, so always ask enough questions to know exactly what is covered, as well as what coverage you are missing.
Not Taking Inventory of Your Home
When having to file a claim, another mistake that starts before any damage occurs is not having an inventory of your possessions.
If you suffer extreme damage, you don’t want to have to recall all your items from memory, chances are you will miss a lot! Although you may think you remember all the big things, it never hurts to have an inventory; it’s better to be safe than sorry.
We also recommend taking pictures and saving documentation to the Cloud so you have them in case of an incident.
Neglecting Home Maintenance
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, but it needs to be said; insurance is for damage that is unexpected, not for preventable problems!
Failing to maintain your home and leaving issues unresolved, such as a roof leak, can cause your claim to be denied because you weren’t preventing the damage from occurring. Always report or fix issues as they come up, to protect both your home and yourself.
Bad Communication & Delays
A large percentage of insurance claim mistakes are because of a lack of communication. Often, a homeowner may not describe the damage properly, leading to delays and headaches throughout the claim.
On a similar note, homeowners that wait to submit a claim may not only see complications with their claim itself but may also see the damage worsen!
Lack of Documentation
Earlier we discussed taking inventory and documenting your items before damage strikes, but failing to properly document damage afterward can be an issue as well. This is not only one of the most common claim mistakes, but one of the most costly potentially. The first thing you should be doing after damage occurs is taking photos and videos of the property.
Be sure not to rush the clean-up process either, as many items may get thrown away that can be used in the claim! Keeping a record is key when reporting a loss, so don’t put it off.
Read More > Insurance Claims 101
Don’t Take on a Big Claim Alone
Sadly, your insurance company does not always want to pay you what’s fair for the damage and certainly not without raising your rates after. There are many ways a claim can go wrong, many of which are very common! Hopefully, the tips above will help you be prepared, but no matter the preparation, it doesn’t hurt to have help!
Taking on a claim alone may be too much to handle, from difficult to understand insurance policies to the mountains of paperwork you may be required to submit. It's always a good idea to get some help, especially when you have a large claim to file!
Call Liberty Insurance Adjusters to get answers to any questions, or submit a claim online so we can get you the settlement you deserve! Here our loss specialists help right the wrongs of insurance companies. Lean on us anytime. Call us today at (813) 922-5129!