The A,B,C of the claim to the home insurance company. Thousands of homes were destroyed or damaged by Hurricane Ian in Florida. Thousands of property owners rush to claim compensation from their insurance companies, some of whom are facing this process for the first time and don’t know what to do.
- Contact the insurer immediately
As recommended by the Insurance Information Institute, III, the first step is to immediately contact your insurer. But before claiming, ask yourself the following question. Is the cost of the compensation that you expect to receive for the damage suffered going to exceed the deductible that you must pay according to the contract? If the answer is yes, call the insurer immediately. - Document the damage
The success of a good claim relies on the owner being able to properly document the losses and damages suffered. For this purpose, he must film and photograph the affected structures, the broken belongings, and the destroyed equipment. He must write and detail each damaged and lost personal property, to achieve the latter he can base himself on the inventory he has of his belongings. Remember to detail the make and model of the affected equipment, especially the most expensive ones. - Request the estimate from a contractor
It is good to have an estimate of the cost of repairing the damage suffered on the property. For this, it is best to hire a general contractor and ask him to detail each repair and its cost. This will allow you to know if your insurer offers you adequate compensation. - Repair immediately
If the hurricane broke your windows, doors, or roof, you’ll need to fix them right away to prevent burglars from getting in or further damage. Remember that you must document this repair with well-detailed invoices in order to obtain the corresponding reimbursement. - The appraiser
The insurance company will send you a claim adjuster. He will inspect the house and ask you the pertinent questions to make your report. You should be honest, show him any documents you have and any bills for any immediate repairs you had to do. If the appraiser missed something, point it out. - Living expenses
If you and your family had to go to a hotel, because your house was in very bad conditions, you must keep the hotel bills and the meals in the restaurants, the laundry bills that you spend during that time.
It is important that you know that the compensation you will receive will never exceed the limit of coverage – limit of insurance – established in your contract. Also, that the damage caused by a flood is not included in most home policies. Still, if you suffered flood damage and don’t have flood insurance, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may be able to help you with a loan if you file a claim with them. The A,B,C of the claim to the home insurance company.
