Hurricane Insurance Claims: How do you make sure you are paid properly?
Did your home suffer hurricane damage?
You may be worried about making sure that you are fairly paid by your insurance company for all hurricane damage.
Here are some tips for filing a hurricane insurance claim:
Contact your insurance company as soon as possible to report your property damage or loss. Be sure to tell them the extent of the damage because insurance adjusters visit the most damaged properties first. Write down your claim number. This will make it easier for the insurance company to find your file whenever you are in contact with them.
Take photographs and video of any damage to your property. This includes content such as damaged appliances, furniture, electronics, etc.
Make a list of any missing or destroyed items. On this list, include both when the items were purchased and the value of each item, as best you can. If you still have access to receipts for damaged items, gather these together to give to your insurance adjuster.
Take steps to prevent further damage. Once everything has been documented, do what you can to prevent any further damage. For example, if there is a hole in your roof or a broken window, cover the holes with a tarp and board up any broken windows. Do not make any permanent repairs (if you can avoid it), and do not throw away anything that is damaged until the property has been assessed by the insurance company. If you are required to discard something for safety reasons be sure to photograph or video the items.
Keep all hurricane-related expense receipts caused by destroyed property . If your home is uninhabitable, your expenses include the cost of staying in a hotel and other additional living expenses.
Keep a record of each time you are in contact with your insurance company. Keep a claim journal during this process. Document the name, date, time, and notes of each person you interact with from your insurance company as well as any other relevant information.
Hold on to all relevant paperwork the insurance company sends you.
Start getting bids for permanent repairs. Contact reliable contractors and document the item that needs to be repaired and the proposed cost of the repair. It is recommended that you get two bids for each repair. This step will speed up the repair process. Give this information to the insurance adjuster.