Top 12 Insurance Claim Tips –and keep your frustration
down
An Arctic surge has resulted in bitterly cold temperatures and
heavy snow in many areas of the United States,
resulting in car crashes and damage to property, according to the Insurance
Information Institute (I.I.I.).
Winter storms are the third-largest cause
of U.S. catastrophe losses, behind only hurricanes and tornadoes. Winter storms
caused $1.9 billion in insured losses in 2013, up
dramatically from just $38 million in 2012. From
1994 to 2013 U.S. winter storms resulted in about $27
billion in insured catastrophe losses (in 2013 dollars),
or more than $1 billion a year on average,
according to Property Claim Services (PCS).
"Standard homeowners policies provide
coverage for damage caused by wind, snow, severe cold and freezing rain,"
said Jeanne M. Salvatore, senior vice president
and chief communications officer of the I.I.I. "Car accidents caused by
slippery road conditions are also covered under standard auto insurance
policies."
The I.I.I. offers the following
information on insurance coverage for winter storms:
Auto Policies
Vehicle crashes between two or more drivers caused by snowy and
slippery roads are covered by liability insurance. A car that crashes into an
object would generally be covered under the optional collision portion of an
auto policy.
Physical damage to a car caused by heavy wind, flooding or
fallen ice or tree limbs is covered under the optional comprehensive portion of
an auto policy.
Homeowners Insurance Policies
Wind-related damage to a house, its roof, its contents and
other insured structures on the property is covered under standard homeowners
insurance policies. Wind-driven snow or freezing rain that gets into the home
because the home was damaged by wind is also covered.
Tree limbs that fall on a house or other insured structure on
the property would be covered for both the damage the tree inflicts on the
house and the cost of removing the tree, generally up to about $500. Ice and other objects that fall on the home are
also covered.
Damage to the house and its contents caused by weight of snow
or ice that creates a collapse is covered under standard homeowners insurance
policies.
Freezing conditions such as burst pipes or ice dams, a
condition where water is unable to drain properly through the gutters and seeps
into a house causing damage to ceilings and walls, is covered. However, there
is generally a requirement that the homeowner has taken reasonable steps to
prevent these losses by keeping the house warm and properly maintaining the
pipes and drains.
Standard homeowners policies also include additional living
expenses (ALE) in the event that a home is severely damaged by an insured
disaster. This would pay for reasonable expenses incurred by living elsewhere
while the home is being fixed.
Melting snow that seeps into a home from the ground up would be
covered by flood insurance, which is provided by FEMA's National Flood
Insurance Program, and a few private insurers. Flood insurance is available to
both homeowners and renters. Damage caused by flooding is not covered by standard homeowners or
renters insurance policies.
"Consumers who need to file an insurance
claim should contact their insurance professional as soon as possible,"
said Salvatore. "Let your agent know the extent of the damage and start to
document your loss with lists, receipts or photographs. If you have a home
inventory, now would also be a good time to access it."
hERE
ARE THE TOP 12 TIPS FOR HANDLING THE WINTER STORM PROPERTY DAMAGE CLAIM.
1. Be pro-active in the claim process. File the claim as soon as the damage occurs. Do not delay a minute.
2. You’re not on a level playing field when
you’re dealing with an insurance claim.
3. Think of your insurance claim as a
business negotiation—you’re dealing with a for-profit company.
4. Give your insurance company a chance to
do the right thing, but don’t mistake a friendly representative for a friend.
5. Document and support your claim with
proof, details and estimates.
6. Present clear requests in writing that
explain what you need, when you need it, and why you’re entitled to it.
7. Don’t pad or exaggerate your claim. The insurer can accuse you of insurance fraud and deny the claim - this is critical to remember.
8. Don’t sign legal documents without
consulting with a qualified attorney.
9. Try to resolve problems informally but
complain in writing, go up the chain of command and/or use government agency
help when necessary.
10. Get specialized professional help when
you need it, start in the “Find Help” section of www.uphelp.org.
11. Do not rely on the insurer’s expert
report, as it represents a biased investigation; that expert is not on your side. If you disagree with the expert report
findings, hire your own expert – this is crucial.
12.
Do not get frustrated with thje investigation process – it happens with
almost all claims. Keep calm and be
patient.
Key
Flood Insurance Claim Tips:
·
Focus on completely inventorying and
valuing all damage and costs to repair or replace your property, regardless of
your insurance situation.
·
Keep a diary of conversations with
insurance, repair, government and other professionals.
·
Flood policies have different rules
than home policies.
·
If you did not have flood insurance,
there may still be Sandy damage that should be covered under your home policy,
depending on how it is written. Examples could be wind-driven rain,
sewage backup due to electrical failure of a pump or other device, other damage
due to power outages or surges.
·
Give your home and/or flood insurer
a chance to do the right thing, but advocate for yourself and get help from the
NJ DOI and/or experienced professionals if you feel you’re not being treated
fairly.
·
If a home or flood insurance
adjuster says damage isn’t covered, but you feel it should be, get an
independent professional opinion before giving up on getting some or all of
your claim paid.
Metropolitan
Engineering, Consulting & Forensics (MECF)
Providing
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Services
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Box 520
Tenafly,
NJ 07670-0520
Tel.:
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(973) 810-0440
E-mail:
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