Proper Timeline When Filing a Property Damage Insurance Claim

It’s devastating for homeowners to suffer a major property loss. And it’s perfectly natural to feel overwhelmed and at a loss as to what to do next. But time is of the essence for filing a claim with your insurance company, as there are deadlines that must be met if you hope to be reimbursed. If this is your family’s first experience with a large claim, keep in mind that the process is basically a business negotiation.

Household mold is insidious, whether the byproduct of a poorly ventilated bathroom or the silent reminder of a burst plumbing pipe or rising flood waters entering your home. While not always immediately apparent, if a situation occurs where mold growth is suspected it should be identified and eliminated as soon as possible. If the cause is something not covered by homeowners insurance, such as a leaking basement faucet that's gone unnoticed for too long, you may want to take care of the problem yourself. There's plenty of online help available for how to best accomplish this. Here's a good resource.

You’ve suffered a loss due to fire, and while it’s a stressful and traumatizing time, it’s also a time when you need help to recover and rebuild your home. Smoke odor is a lingering problem when you’ve experienced a fire. While not visible, it can still be costly to remove. Your clothing, furniture upholstery, curtains, and bedding can all be affected by smoke odors.

When you purchased your insurance policy, your agent and insurance company probably didn’t cover all the details about what may or may not be covered. Many insureds find out only after they've suffered a loss. Agents often focus only on exchanging enough information to get underwriter approval and keeping the premiums down. They also know you are not an insurance professional and don't have the time, energy, or expertise to sort through insurance policy lingo to figure coverage issues out for yourself.

You’ve suffered a loss on your home, such as fire, storm damage, or flooding. Repairs are needed and a homeowner’s insurance claim is necessary. Your insurance company pays the claim and funds the repairs. It’s important to understand when you have a mortgage on your home or property, your mortgage company will be fully involved in the claim.

When you’ve suffered a property loss, for example fire damage, flooding, storm, or any type of loss, being familiar with insurance terms helps you successfully manage your insurance claim. Knowledge is power, and arming yourself with the terms your insurance company uses helps you understand what they are talking about.

When your home is damaged, it might seem reasonable to wait for the insurance company to take over and resolve everything. Unfortunately, the claims process isn't that simple. As the property owner and policyholder, you are responsible for taking the first steps in filing your property insurance claim. These initial actions will set the tone for your claim process and help you move your claim forward.

Only a fraction of homeowners who pay for homeowner’s insurance actually experience and make a claim on catastrophic property loss. If you’re one of the unlucky few, you likely care about one thing regarding your insurance settlement: how fast will I get paid?

When your home is damaged by an insured peril, it’s important to try to work out a settlement with your homeowners insurance carrier. You may not agree with the way the insurance adjuster handles your claim, and at times, you may feel like the claim process is one long, tedious argument. Still it’s important to realize, that you have a contractual relationship with the company that insured your home at the time of your loss. You cannot sever the relationship and every claim issue will be resolved sooner or later.

If you're in the unfortunate position of having to file a claim on your homeowner's insurance policy and then find the claim has been denied, it's important to know what to do next. Your first instinct may be to lash out against your insurer, the company adjuster or the system in general, but try to remain calm and don't let your emotions take over. Consider the situation rationally and logically. The following steps should help you negotiate the process to your best advantage.