Home insurance is one of those things that everyone needs, but no one hopes to use. If you've experienced a property loss, whether by fire, water damage or theft, you know it can be stressful. Once you've had a loss, the first step is to report the loss promptly to your home insurance company. To better understand the events surrounding your loss and determine the severity of damage, they will ask you a few questions. If you have immediate needs, in most cases, they'll offer the appropriate assistance.
Make personal safety your first priority. Always remember to stay out of your home if it has been severely damaged. File a report with the police if you experience a break-in, and fix or replace your locks too. Cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief or face mask if there's been a fire in your home, so you avoid breathing ashes and soot.
Do what you can to mitigate the loss - this is your responsibility. In other words, you are expected to minimize further damage by taking immediate action for emergency repairs or tasks within your control, with resources available to you. Try to make any immediate repairs you can, such as putting a tarp over a leaky roof, because you are responsible for preventing future damage. You can be reimbursed for these expenses, so make sure you save the receipts from the supplies you use.
You will usually need to fill out the required claims form for small and standard claims, and return it within a stated timeframe. You must send the receipts for the items you are claiming on with the form. If you can't lay your hands on the receipts, try digging out credit card statements which can prove the purchases instead. If you don't have copies of these, call your bank or credit card provider and ask to be sent the relevant months' statements.
Photographs are also accepted as evidence. Your home insurance claim will be smoother and quicker if you produce more documentary evidence.
Don't expect to just let a part of your home decay to the point of falling apart and make a claim on your home insurance. Sometimes people attempt to make claims for maintenance because they are unaware that it is one of the main exclusions. Home insurance does not and cannot cover home maintenance. Again, you will never successfully make a claim on your home insurance to check or replace roofing under any circumstances relating to maintenance. But, if a storm caused damage to your roof, you'd likely make a successful claim.
Remember to keep separate the items that need repair or cleaning. In a nutshell, be sure to check with your claim representative before you discard any items you plan to claim as damaged. Also, be sure to review your policy for specific coverage information if you have not done so on a regular basis.
Make personal safety your first priority. Always remember to stay out of your home if it has been severely damaged. File a report with the police if you experience a break-in, and fix or replace your locks too. Cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief or face mask if there's been a fire in your home, so you avoid breathing ashes and soot.
Do what you can to mitigate the loss - this is your responsibility. In other words, you are expected to minimize further damage by taking immediate action for emergency repairs or tasks within your control, with resources available to you. Try to make any immediate repairs you can, such as putting a tarp over a leaky roof, because you are responsible for preventing future damage. You can be reimbursed for these expenses, so make sure you save the receipts from the supplies you use.
You will usually need to fill out the required claims form for small and standard claims, and return it within a stated timeframe. You must send the receipts for the items you are claiming on with the form. If you can't lay your hands on the receipts, try digging out credit card statements which can prove the purchases instead. If you don't have copies of these, call your bank or credit card provider and ask to be sent the relevant months' statements.
Photographs are also accepted as evidence. Your home insurance claim will be smoother and quicker if you produce more documentary evidence.
Don't expect to just let a part of your home decay to the point of falling apart and make a claim on your home insurance. Sometimes people attempt to make claims for maintenance because they are unaware that it is one of the main exclusions. Home insurance does not and cannot cover home maintenance. Again, you will never successfully make a claim on your home insurance to check or replace roofing under any circumstances relating to maintenance. But, if a storm caused damage to your roof, you'd likely make a successful claim.
Remember to keep separate the items that need repair or cleaning. In a nutshell, be sure to check with your claim representative before you discard any items you plan to claim as damaged. Also, be sure to review your policy for specific coverage information if you have not done so on a regular basis.
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