When your home has damage from a storm or other event, the last thing you want to do is sift through paperwork. Filing an insurance claim can sometimes feel like a complicated, drawn-out process for no reason. At Res Reps, we want to help you understand the steps that go into filing an insurance claim and receiving the best payout possible. From beginning to end, we’ll walk you through the homeowners’ insurance claims process.
Understanding Homeowner’s Insurance
Homeowner’s insurance is designed to protect homeowners if their home is damaged or devalued in any way. However, sometimes insurance can feel more like a burden than protection. With the second-highest rates of any state for homeowner’s insurance, it can be a difficult pill to swallow. However, it is still a vital piece of protecting your livelihood in the event of an emergency.
Florida homeowner’s insurance has risen in price over the past few years for a variety of reasons. Some insurance companies claim that it is because of lingering damage from past hurricanes. Others cite a recent increase in insurance fraud. Still, these prices can feel unfair for the average homeowner, especially if they need to file a claim and don’t see the result they wanted. In this blog, we’ll help break down the steps of filing during the homeowners’ insurance claims process easier.
How to File an Insurance Claim
Many insurance providers will allow you to file an insurance claim online or over the phone, but that doesn’t always mean that it is easy. Often, these processes can be long and drawn out. If you aren’t prepared to finish the forms required and follow up with necessary documentation, it can quickly become a chore. By mapping out the steps you need, you can make a checklist of what needs to happen to get the desired result.
- Document the Damage: It can be tempting to want to start repairs right away. However, your insurance company will need to see evidence of the cause and extent of your home’s damage. Take as many pictures as you can from every angle using good lighting, so any details the company might need will be available. Take pictures of whatever caused the damage, if possible, including any branches or trees. Take measurements if you can, as well.
- Contact Res Reps: The team at Res Reps can help you along every step of the insurance claims process. We’ll help you find reliable contractors within your insurance’s parameters. We perform our services for free to help homeowners repair their homes and get the fair payout from their insurance that they need. We can even help you find caveats that may help you get your roof replaced entirely for free, depending on the situation.
- Contact Your Insurance Company: Once you document everything, you can contact your insurance company. They will need all the details, including the type of damage, the extent of the damage, and what caused it. You can ask any questions you need as well, like how long you have to file your claim and if your policy covers the damage.
- File the Necessary Paperwork: Your insurance company should be able to provide you with the necessary paperwork you’ll need to finish to start the claim officially. Make copies of everything for yourself to save documentation in case you need it later. After you file all of the paperwork, the claims will begin officially.
- Save the Receipts from the Repairs: This is arguably the most vital and forgotten step; save your receipts for everything. If you purchase a tarp to temporarily cover the damage, keep the receipt. If you bought some lumber to patch up a hole, save that receipt too. If you needed some nails, spare shingles, wood glue, or anything else, save the receipts! Of course, you will also need to save the receipts of any contractor work that relates to the claim. If possible, try to avoid having a professional repair your roof until after your claim is finalized. If your insurance company has any requirements, such as using a specified contractor, you may not be covered.
- Expect an Insurance Adjuster: Almost every insurance claim gets a follow-up visit from an insurance adjuster. Adjusters are there to verify the information you provided and take pictures, including pictures of the damage, what caused it, and any other details they may need.
- Learn About Appeal Rights: Depending on the process, your insurance company could decide to either deny your insurance claim or pay you less than you should receive. Every homeowner has the right to hire a public adjuster to look over the damage, reports, and other information to appeal the claim.
How Long Does the Process Take?
The length of time that an insurance claim takes depends heavily on the circumstances. Anything from the severity and type of damage to how many other claims the company is filing can affect turnaround times. Therefore, the homeowners’ insurance claims process can take anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks. To get your insurance claim check, it could take up to sixty days to receive, though some states have laws that state it must be received within thirty.
Have a Question? Let’s Talk.
At Res Reps, we want to help homeowners and policyholders understand the best way to save money and make the most of their insurance claims. To do this, we perform all of our services for free for our clients because we believe that homeowners should not have to struggle further just to live in their homes while insurance companies hold out. If you have any questions about your insurance policy, our services, or anything else, we would love to help. Please give us a call at (321) 537-9991 or send us an email to shoe@resreps.com. Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram, we look forward to hearing from you!
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