Immediate Action!!!

Notify your homeowners insurance company or insurance agent about the accident or mishap immediately. Always keep the telephone number of your agent or insurance company and the policy number with you in your wallet. Find out the time frame within which the insurance company expects you to file your claim. If there is a burglary, notify the police at once and keep a copy of the police report to be filed with your claim.  

Evidence.

Document all the damage using a video or digital camera if possible. Write a list of all the property that has been damaged. Keep a list of serial numbers, models and makes of consumer durables like television sets, washing machine, dryer and coffee machine. Attach the lists of serial numbers and damaged property to the claim form.  Giving the insurance company hard evidence of the damage will help you get more coverage payments from them.  

  Mitigating Damages.

Don’t wait for the insurance to pay before you start repairing and fixing the damage. By making temporary repairs and preventing further damage you are protecting your property, and you can get the homeowners insurance insurer to reimburse the expenses for these temporary damage prevention expenses in full. However, you must make sure that you keep all the receipts of your expenses for the temporary repairs. The insurance company will appreciate your sense of responsibility towards the property.

Making An Inventory.

Once you file your claim, the insurance company will send an official form called the “adjuster to assess the damage.” You can help the adjuster by making an inventory of all the damaged articles. If the damaged articles are a health hazard, make a record of the articles and give the reasons why they required immediate disposal. This inventory will not only make the job of the adjuster easier, it will help you make sure that no damaged article has been overlooked.   

  After Filing The Claim.

File your claim within time. Normally the insurance company will expect your claim to be in within 15 days. Keep contacting the insurance company with regard to your claim after filing. If the insurance company denies or disputes your claim, clarify your stand and ask for a review. If you make an informed claim, using lists and evidence, it is unlikely that the insurance company can deny your claim. Making a claim requires careful planning to get the correct reimbursement when disaster strikes a home. Experts will always suggest that you seek at least three free quotes on the Internet. For more information on insurance for the home, click: cancellation versus nonrenewal.