The Insurance Claims Experience: Rebuilding after Property Loss

Homeowner’s Insurance After Disaster

Reconstructing your home or business after a natural disaster or other cause of property damage loss can be a huge ordeal. Often before you can begin property reconstruction, you have to navigate the disaster insurance claims process. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners knows that consumers are often confused and stressed by the insurance claims process. The NAIC offers this summary to help you manage the insurance claim experience:

Tips for Homeowner’s Insurance & Reconstruction

Call your insurance company or visit a mobile claims center to start the claim process. If you cannot locate the company or agent’s number, call your state insurance department. The NAIC can help you contact your state department. Call 1-866-470-6242 or go to map.naic.org.

Keep the Insurance Claim Area Intact

While your first instinct following a disaster may be to start disaster reconstruction, it is important for your insurer to have an accurate account of the destruction. Don’t move any debris or remove damaged belongings until you take photos or video of the full extent of the damage. Make a list to document these losses. If possible, save damaged items for the representative from your insurance company to review.

Take Reasonable Steps to Prevent Further Damage

You should also take steps to avoid further damage to your home or business. You may place tarps over broken windows or doors. Take a moment to assess the risk for vandalism and theft. If windows and doors or siding is impaired, it could lead to a break in. This is an important preventative step during a homeowner’s claim or business insurance claim. The damaged property should be protected. If you need help, do not hesitate to contact a reconstruction service immediately to secure the property for homeowner’s claims.

File the Insurance Claim Quickly

Even following a major disaster, most insurance companies have a time requirement for filing a claim. When calling to report the loss, have your policy information handy, along with current contact information and your home or business inventory, if you have one. Ask if your insurer plans to waive or extend claim-filing deadlines. Discovering these small details can make a world of difference down the road.

What does insurance cover in disaster claims?

A homeowner’s insurance policy only covers damage to your home and its contents. A renter’s policy only covers belongings. If your car was damaged, you need to file a separate claim with your auto insurer. This can be a difficult process and often painful. If you need help, get involved with a disaster general contractor who will help you manage the paperwork as well as the damage to your home.

A typical homeowners or renter’s policy does not cover flood damage. If you have a policy with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), contact your agent or insurer to file a claim for that policy as well. Damage from a storm surge is considered flood damage.

Homeowner’s Insurance Claims? Sante Property Damage Reconstruction is always available to help you rebuild after a property loss or prevent future losses. Feel free to call us anytime at (844) 254-1480.  

How to Deal with Insurance Claims Adjusters

There are two types of insurance claims adjusters: company adjusters, who are sent by your insurance company and public adjusters, who are independent contractors.

Company adjusters are employees of your insurance company. In most cases, a company adjuster is going to be the first person to survey the damage to your home. A company adjuster will not charge you for their assessment.

Public adjusters work for you, the insured, not the insurance company. They are paid from the proceeds of your claims settlement, typically as a percentage of the total amount you receive. Not all states allow public adjusters, but in states where they can work, they must be licensed by the state insurance department. Before you engage a public adjuster, be sure they are licensed and ask for references and qualifications. In addition, the adjuster should provide the fees for these services in writing. You may choose to hire a public adjuster if the claims settlement you get from your insurance company does not meet your expectation. The public adjuster will work with the company to try to negotiate a better settlement.

Rebuilding After Property Loss

After a major disaster like fire, flood or storm damage, home and business owners may be facing mountains of insurance paperwork and loss. Rebuilding after property loss can be intimidating. If you are in a situation where there is too much to handle, contacting a professional disaster contractor is the way to go. They can actually save you money via working with your homeowner’s insurance. They will know the ins and outs of a system that may be unfamiliar to you. Put your property reconstruction in responsible and trustworthy hands.

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Contact the Disaster Insurance Claims Professionals to Help

Sante Property Damage Reconstruction
100 Peters Road
Suite B
Bloomfield, CT 06002

Call (844) 254-1480

Business Hours: 24/7