When your home or business suffers severe damages caused by floods, fires, or hurricane, you are expecting from your insurance company to cover your losses. But, sometimes you need more help. To file your property damage insurance claims properly, you need professional to help you with.
Damages on your home can lead to significant financial loss, stress, and anxiety. After the hurricane or fire, you don’t want to spend hours telephoning with the insurance company. You want to get your everyday routine, that’s why you should leave A-Z Claims Adjusters Florida to deal with insurance companies and to help you fight for the best deal. When you are living in Florida, it is good to know all the reasons for property damage insurance claims, to be ready and prepared for all possible events.
Choose the right protection for your property
Before we begin looking at the top reasons for property damage insurance claims in Florida, we will assume that you are reading this text for informational reasons. Also, some of you will be comparing different insurance policies, looking for reasons to choose one over another in case you should do your best to get informed on this subject. However, if you are about to buy an insurance plan and you are comparing them as we speak, be sure to do the following:
- Make sure that the plan you choose gives you more for the same or similar cost as the other ones. Buying a cheaper insurance policy that is not going to protect you from the real threat is just a waste of money.
- You should be 100% sure that you understand what the policy covers and what is not covered by it. If this means seeing a lawyer help you understand it, then do it. Spending a bit more now means saving a lot later.
- Hire a public insurance adjuster Florida in case you need to activate your policy. They will provide you the best possible help in case your property suffered damage
How to File Property Damage Insurance Claims – Steps
Property damage insurance claims are never fun for anyone. When you are Florida’s resident there is a big chance your home will suffer damages caused by hurricanes and tropical storms at least ones in your lifetime. Especially, if you are living near the water there is an even bigger chance you to find in the situation to file the property damage insurance claim. There is no Floridian that is immune to the devasting effects caused by natural disasters. Professional claim adjusters have experience dealing with insurance companies after a disaster, so you should consider hiring reliable help to achieve the best possible settlement. Here is the guide to help you in the process of filling out the property damage insurance claim.
Notify your homeowner’s insurance company
After the disaster, you should contact your insurance company as soon as possible. You can do it by phone or online, it is up to you. But, also you need to report the property damage within your insurance contract time limit if you want to avoid dealing with insurance denial. First, you need to provide this necessary information:
- Your name
- Policy number
- Address
- Type of claim (depending on the natural disaster you suffered)
- Description of damage to your home
Hire a professional to help you through the process
If you want your claim to be accepted, make sure to hire professional adjuster who is looking out for your best interests. The insurance company is only looking for the company’s best interests, not yours. So, you need someone on your side. Filling property damage insurance claims is a complex and time-consuming process, especially if you are not aware of all the aspects of your insurance policy, jargon, and industry. You need professional with experience in property damage insurance claims, to fight for your best interests.
Top reasons for property damage insurance claims in Florida
Flooding
If you are living in Florida, you have probably already noticed it. Heavy rainfall, especially in the coastal areas, is making the lives of common people and insurance companies very difficult. Therefore, if this is where you are headed, or you already live here, make sure that your insurance covers any possible harm by flooding. On the other hand, you should not expect the price of this kind of insurance policy to be affordable. Given the fact that floods top the list of the most common reasons for property damage insurance claims in Florida, insurance companies are going to price it very expensively. Hence, try to figure out whether you can afford to pay for it. If you can, then go for it. It can prove to be very helpful in the event of a natural disaster.
Fires
Living in the part of the world that gets so much sun throughout the year must be fun. Suntan is something that you should try not to worry about. After all, if you are free on the weekends and especially if you have kids, you should be able to spend a significant amount of time on the beach. However, fire does represent a true threat when you live in Florida. Usually, fires in Florida are sparked by a human mistake. Nevertheless, it is not uncommon for them to be a consequence of other natural disasters.
Given the fact that Florida is a state with a lot of rainfall as well, lightning strikes cause many fires. Even though the fire is not caused by an accident, in this case, fire damage claims are still collected and policies activated on such occasions. Therefore, in case that your insurance policy covers damage caused by thunderstorms, you might not need one in case of fire. Still, bear in mind that in this case, should a fire start without thunderstorms playing a part in it, then your insurance will not cover for the sustained damage.
Wind
Alright, you know where you are about to move to. Florida is great. We have already commented on beach opportunities and heavy rainfall. However, we need to talk about weather conditions just a bit more. Hurricanes are nothing uncommon for Florida. You should make sure that your insurance covers damage done by strong winds. At the moment, you might not see wind as a terrible threat but just wait. Once the first storm strikes, you will be happy because you included wind damage in your insurance policy.
Damage inflicted by humans
This is probably one of the most probable damages that you may sustain. Living anywhere in the world the damage that people can cause is common. Burglary and theft are something that tends to bother us a lot in case they happen to us. They bother us because they are something that we feel we should be able to prevent. Unlike natural causes, for example, since we regard them as deeds of greater force. Therefore, if you are in Florida, make sure that your insurance policy protects you from this type of harm.
Physical damage
Physical damage is a pretty wide term. We use it to describe something that does not fall under any of the above-mentioned categories. Make sure that you are aware of what your insurance policy means when they use this term in a document.
Avoid These Mistakes When Filing Property Damage Insurance Claims
- Failure to notify your insurance company immediately
Do not delay contacting your insurance company! Call your insurer immediately after the disaster! Claims are easier to adjust when the evidence is fresh and when you do it in the timeline from your insurance policy.
Poor Documentation
Make sure to document every communication with your insurer about the claiming process. Record the time, date and content. Keep all the documents safe with quick and easy access.
- Failure to Retain Damaged Property
- Failing to Read Your Policy
