Claim Tips for Home Owners Insurance
Homeowners insurance provides you with coverage if your home or property is damaged and/or if items are stolen from your home. Filing a homeowners insurance claim can seem like a lot of paperwork and red tape, but there are certain key steps you can take to expedite the handling of your claim and make sure that you get the money you need to fix or replace your home or property.
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Document Everything
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Your homeowners insurance company will want evidence that the damage occurred or that the item was stolen. Therefore, carefully document everything. Take detailed pictures of damage. If something is stolen, file a police report and keep copies of everything as well as records of who you spoke to and when you filed the police report. Keep all this documentation, since your insurer may want to see it all.
Provide Receipts if Possible
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If your insurer has evidence of how much your stolen camera cost, that can expedite the insurance claim process by making the valuation period take less time. It also provides proof that you did, in fact, purchase the stolen or damaged item in the first place, which will support your initial claim.
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Don't Repair Without Permission
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If damage occurred to your house, the insurance company may want to see it. This is especially true when there is a question of whether the damage was covered or not (i.e. if the insurer needs to determine if a flood caused the damage, which means it isn't covered, or if a falling tree from the storm caused the damage, which would be). This is also important if the extent of the damage is in dispute. While it may be difficult to live in a home that is in a state of disrepair, it is best to wait until you have written permission from the insurance company before you begin to clean up or restore anything.
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