When you make a homeowners insurance claim, you’re putting the policy on which you spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars per year to use. If your insurance covers the cost, you should expect to be completely reimbursed for your loss and return to your normal life. Apart from the initial questions of whether the injury is insured and whether the cost amount exceeds your insurance deductible, one important question you’ll have to answer before filing a claim is whether it’s really worth filing a claim in the first place. It may not be worth making a lawsuit if the cost is less than the deduction. Although this isn’t the only option, if the damage isn’t any worse than the insurance, try covering for maintenance or buying stolen personal items out of pocket instead. Although this isn’t the only option, if the damage isn’t any worse than the insurance, try covering for maintenance or buying stolen personal items out of pocket instead.

If you believe the harm to your house or personal property is protected by the contract, contact the insurance provider and get as much information about what caused the loss as possible. For example, if the roof catches fire as a result of lightning and wind-driven rain then enters the house and destroys thousands of dollars in personal property, make sure to mention all of it in the original report. The more information you give upfront, the less questions you will be answered later and the quicker your claim will be processed. If your house has been broken into, the first thing you can do is file a police report. If you file a burglary charge, you must send a police report to the insurance provider to check the specifics of the incident. Inform your insurance company about the incident.

The insurance company’s claim representative will most likely tell you how the damage is protected by the contract and how long you have to make a claim. You will also be given a rough estimation of the damage size, as well as whether or not it extends the deductible. You will then fill out the claim forms that have been shipped to you or that have been made available to you via the company’s web or smartphone claims site. One such paper is the proof-of-loss form, on which you include your personal particulars, the cause of the loss, the portion of your home or property on which you are reporting a loss, and the approximate loss number. At this time, you can also apply photographic or video proof of the injury. Claim forms must be submitted to you within a certain period of your first contact with the insurer, according to the regulation. If you’ve completed the requisite paperwork, make sure to return it to the insurer as soon as possible to prevent delays. 

Now that you know how to file a homeowners insurance claim, feel free to contact us at (888) 751-7511 or get a quote here!