Following hurricane Irene, many people are wondering how to go about making insurance claims on their policies.
There are several tips that are being made by the industry to help people to get the most out of their policies and to allow them to be processed with the greatest speed and ease. The first steps include the following:
• Contact an insurance adjuster as soon as possible so that they can view the extent of the damage.
• Once the agent has assessed the damage, you may begin preventing further damage by making emergency repairs. This can include efforts such as drying out your property such as carpets and other soft items, temporarily boarding up the roof and windows, securing the property as a whole, and so on. This is important as damage that occurs after the hurricane but that is not a direct result of the storm may not be covered.
• Photograph the damage for more thorough documentation of what has occurred. Don’t throw anything out or make any permanent repairs until the adjuster can see the damage. If there are perishable items which must be thrown away, make sure to photograph them carefully so that the claim can be substantiated. Without pictures, any damages that you’ve thrown away may not be covered.
• Maintain a file of all receipts that could be considered additional living costs that may be covered under your policy. This can example ice, water, and the charges for renting a temporary residence if your home is considered to be uninhabitable.
