If the damage is the result of a crime, make a police report. If your home has been damaged due to a crime, contact your local law enforcement and be sure to get a copy of the police report as soon as it’s available. It’s a good idea to make note of all law enforcement officers you speak to as you may need to provide these details to your insurance company.
1) Contact your insurance agent as soon as possible. There are a few good pieces of information to find out sooner, rather than later. You will at least want to know if you are covered, how much time you have to file a claim, if your claim will exceed your deductible, how long it may take to process your claim, and if you will need to obtain estimates for repairs.
2) Fill out your claim forms promptly. If you decide to make a claim, your insurance company will send you the needed claim forms—by law, these must be sent to you within a specified time period (usually 7 to 10 business days). Fill out the forms properly and return them as soon as possible in order to minimize any delays. If you need help with the paperwork, be sure to talk to your agent.
3) The damage should be inspected by an insurance adjuster. Your insurance company will likely arrange to have an adjuster come and inspect your home. The adjuster is a representative of the insurance company, and their job is to decide how much the insurance company should be pay for the loss. The adjuster will likely interview you and inspect your property.
4) Preparing for the appointment with the insurance adjuster. The insurance adjuster will be coming to inspect your property, so it’s good to be prepared with a list of any damaged items, including structural damage. This will help the appoint go smoothly and be as efficient as possible for everyone involved. It’s important to note that, if you’d like, we can be there for this inspection, because it can be helpful to have the perspective of your contractor as well, since we are familiar with common issues that can likely occur, which aren’t always readily visible to the adjuster up front, and sometimes unseen issues can arise after we have started our work. There is no need to worry, because oftentimes, we can submit supplements with photos to the adjuster and work with them to adjust the scope of work. There can sometimes be other delays; however, if you have any questions during the process, feel free to contact us or your insurance company for a status update on your project. We are happy to get you up to speed.
5) If your property needs immediate measures taken, you can make temporary repairs after you do this… Be sure to document the damage by taking pictures and/or videos. THEN take reasonable steps to ensure your property doesn’t suffer from any further damage. If you need help, because you have a hole in your roof, or something is just beyond your capability and skill, call us! We will make every effort to make your house safe for a temporary time during the processing of your claim. If you can, don’t throw away damaged items until the adjuster has a chance to visit to assess the damage. Also, remember to save any receipts for money spent; you might be able to submit them to your insurance company to be reimbursed. Be sure to ask your agent and/or adjuster about that for more information.
6) Be prepared with a list of lost/damaged items. You’re going to need a list of specific items to prove your losses, so take time to prepare that list beforehand, and it is always a good idea to have a copy ready for your adjuster. (In general, it can be a good idea to have a document, which lists your belongings, including descriptions and receipts, especially items that bear serial numbers. Include the serial number(s) in your list. It’s a good idea to upload a copy of this document to an online cloud service, because if it is a hard copy in a safe or a digital copy on a computer, those things can potentially be destroyed or lost in a disaster.) Then make a COPY of the list of lost/damaged items for your adjuster.
7) Need to relocate outside of your home? If your home has incurred damage to the point that you need to find other accommodations while your property is being repaired, be sure to keep all receipts and records of all expenses that you incur due to the relocation. Most homeowners’ insurance policies provide coverage for additional living expenses incurred due to these types of circumstances, but you will need to provide receipts as proof of these costs.
8) ASK QUESTIONS! Lots of questions are sure to come up, so don’t be afraid to contact your insurance agent regarding claim filing laws in your state or your state’s department of insurance. If you’re not in a position to make a quick call, be sure to write your questions down so you don’t forget.
9) Receiving payment from the insurance company. As soon as you and your insurance company come to an agreement on the terms of your settlement, it is required, by state law, that they promptly send you payment. Payment is usually received within 5-10 business days, or sooner. If you haven’t seen your payment in that time frame, call your adjuster to get an update as to what is going on.
Please note: If you have ANY questions regarding your homeowner’s insurance policy, it is best to contact your agent BEFORE you ever run into issues. Coverage-related questions are best answered by your agent. Claim-related questions are best answered by your adjuster.We can assist in many claim-related questions as well. We know the adjuster can be hard to reach. Feel free to contact us, and we will strive to assist you in finding the answers you need.
It is our intention to educate our clients in all exterior trades and the process of filing claims with insurance companies to ensure as professional service as possible. We strive, each day, to assist all of our clients by answering any questions that may arise and to ensure we are there for you in times of need. Please ask questions. If you need anything, you can always call us at 208-709-8496.
When it comes to modern roofing Pocatello and southeast Idaho, roofing is key to ensuring that your home will stand up against the elements, because we all know the weather can change fast. We trust only the most reliable products to protect you. After all, you wouldn’t buy the cheapest car you could find, would you? Neither would we.