{"id":119,"date":"2010-07-15T21:00:55","date_gmt":"2010-07-16T01:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/insuranceclaimsgroup.com\/blog\/?p=119"},"modified":"2011-12-30T11:13:50","modified_gmt":"2011-12-30T16:13:50","slug":"insurance-advice-when-you-suffer-property-damage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insuranceclaimsgroup.com\/blog\/insurance-advice-when-you-suffer-property-damage\/","title":{"rendered":"Insurance Advice When You Suffer Property Damage"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Insurance<\/a><\/p>\n

Insurance Advice When You Suffer Property Damage!<\/h3>\n

Some insurance advice<\/a> should just not be ignored. When anyone\u00a0suffers property damage, they should first notify their\u00a0 insurance company or their\u00a0agent. Policyholders\u00a0can call to\u00a0initiate a claim or many companies\u00a0now allow claims to be submitted through their websites. However, it’s always a\u00a0good idea to submit your property claims via postal mail.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Insurance Advice 101<\/h1>\n

You should also consider\u00a0notifying your insurance company promptly after an incident on your property has occurred,\u00a0that may result in a filed claim sometime in the future. A good example would be if a neighborhood kid broke their arm playing in your yard. Your neighbor may not ask you to cover the injury under your homeowners insurance, however, if they did, your insurance company would be aware of the incident. So,\u00a0even though no claim was made at the time the incident, providing a heads-up to your carrier will make them aware if your neighbor wishes to place a claim weeks down the road.<\/p>\n

It is also your responsibility\u00a0to mitigate and protect the\u00a0property from any further damage.\u00a0For instance, if a windstorm damaged\u00a0windows, have them boarded up and secured\u00a0to protect against burglary or injury. Costs for\u00a0such protection is covered by your policy, and would be reimbursed to you\u00a0by\u00a0the insurance company.<\/p>\n

However, refrain from making\u00a0permanent repairs until your claim has been settled. No repairs should take place until your\u00a0adjuster\u00a0has visited your property for a detailed inspection.\u00a0Your carrier\u00a0company has the right to inspect\u00a0your\u00a0home in its damaged state, and can deny payment for any damages that have been repaired prior to\u00a0inspection.<\/p>\n

Your insurance company will send an adjuster\u00a0to inspect and examine all the damages you have suffered\u00a0and provide an estimate of the cost to return your property to a pre-loss condition. You should always obtain\u00a0an estimate from a local\u00a0contractor to compare with the insurance adjuster\u2019s estimate. Your contractor may charge a fee for the estimate but will often offer a\u00a0credit for such amount\u00a0if you hire them to complete the repairs.<\/p>\n

If you\u00a0require assistance, you may look to your\u00a0agent, broker or insurance\u00a0sales representative for help\u00a0filling out the required\u00a0claim forms. Ask questions\u00a0when you do not understand, request help on\u00a0gathering the materials you need to substantiate your loss, and never feel like you’re being a burden on them… It’s There Job To Assist You – You’ve Already Prepaid For It!<\/p>\n

In the event you suffer a devastating loss with major property damage, such as a large fire or severe\u00a0hurricane that\u00a0has severely damaged or destroyed the property, and you’re not in any state\u00a0to\u00a0deal with the\u00a0settlement of your claim, you may want to\u00a0consider the appraisal clause in your policy. Larger losses usually result in disputes. Some of the most usefule insurance advice is this\u00a0clause that\u00a0allows an independent appraiser to act on your behalf and reach an appropriate settlement. Independent appraisers can assist you with\u00a0completing a full inventory of your loss, providing a complete detailed estimate of damages to your property,\u00a0help you secure an appropriate settlement based upon your policy, provide the insurance advice you need and relieve you of the stress involved with a claims dispute.<\/p>\n

Must Know Insurance Advice<\/h2>\n

Many should\u00a0consider\u00a0the appraisal process when a disagreement arises.\u00a0Almost all\u00a0homeowner, business,\u00a0coop apartment and condominium policies\u00a0contain\u00a0the appraisal clause. It’s a\u00a0provision where the policyholder and the insurance company each hire an independent,\u00a0competent, and disinterested appraiser. The two appraisers will then jointly select an umpire.<\/p>\n

After the umpire is chosen each appraiser must then determine and\u00a0evaluate the damage and provide a\u00a0value of each item separately. Every stud, brick, sink, couch, and shirt requires it’s own value. Any items the appraisers disagree upon are then\u00a0submitted to the umpire and settled individually.<\/p>\n

If you find yourself in\u00a0such an\u00a0unfortunate situation, consider the appraisal clause and obtain insurance advice\u00a0from an independent appraiser. Educating yourself is the only way to be sure you receive a fair and equatable insurance claim settlement. Get the insurance advice<\/a>\u00a0you need and deserve.<\/p>\n\r\n \r\n
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