What you will discover:
How to Get Ready for an Insurance Adjuster
Collaboration with your Insurance Adjuster
What does your insurance cover?
What to do once your adjuster makes you an offer
There are a few things you should do after making an insurance claim for storm damage to ensure your claim is successful.
What happens when the adjuster arrives? What kind of damages may you anticipate to be covered? What happens if the compensation offer is insufficient?
What you will need to do and what you can expect are as follows:
Table of Contents
How to Get Ready for an Insurance Adjuster
Take an inventory of the damage to your property and belongings before you meet with your insurance company. If at all possible, take photos and locate receipts. Also, make no permanent repairs. It is acceptable to use a tarp to cover a broken window; just do not run out and buy a new one. This may have an adverse effect on your claim.
If you have the time, you may wish to seek a repair cost estimate from an independent contractor. You will be able to utilize that estimate if you believe your insurance company’s offer is too low.
Also, keep your receipts if you are forced to relocate (because your house is uninhabitable) or make any temporary repairs. These expenses might be reimbursable.
Collaboration with your Insurance Adjuster
After you file a claim, your insurance company will dispatch an adjuster to assess the damage. Give this person a list of the damages to your property and belongings, as well as any photos you have taken and receipts you have found.
Keep in mind that your insurance adjuster is probably dealing with hundreds of claims at any one time, and their work becomes considerably more stressful following a natural catastrophe. Providing facts, photos, and receipts will make their work simpler, allowing your claim to be processed more promptly.
In most cases, your adjuster will take your information as well as the information he or she gathered during the visit to your property and call you within a few days. Your insurance provider is obligated by law in most jurisdictions to process your claim in a “fair and reasonable” way. Do not be hesitant to contact your adjuster and request updates. It is critical that people understand you are on top of things.
What does your insurance cover?
Hurricane damage may be complicated in terms of homes insurance. Debris (such as a fallen tree) and wind damage (such as rain blasted through a broken window) are normally covered. Unfortunately, flooding damage is rarely repaired. Keep in mind that hurricane deductibles are often a percentage of total damage (rather than a fixed amount), so you will have to spend some money on repairs.
You may learn more about what is covered in our “How to File an Effective Insurance Claim After a Hurricane” article, as well as how to seek Federal Flood Relief.
What to do once your adjuster makes you an offer
In an ideal world, your insurance adjuster will make a reasonable offer. However, this is not always the case. If you believe the compensation is too low, you have the right to negotiate or ask the adjuster to demonstrate you how he or she arrived at that amount and what wording in your policy permitted them to do so. This offers you the information you need while also preventing the insurance from coming up with new reasons for any lower payments in the future.
If you are unable to reach an agreement via bargaining, you might consider receiving an estimate from an independent contractor if you have not previously done so. When negotiating, you can use that estimate as a counterweight to your insurance company’s estimate.
If subsequent talks fail to provide a satisfactory result, remember that you may always contact your insurance company’s regional or national headquarters. You might also request a greater payout from your insurance carrier.
Your last two alternatives are to involve other parties. This might drag down the process, but it is crucial to obtain what you deserve, not just what is provided. Consider calling your state’s insurance department, which will normally inquire about and investigate your claim. Also, consider contacting a lawyer for assistance. Having the assistance and counsel of an attorney may sometimes persuade an insurance company to operate more fairly.
