What Happens When You File A insurance claim

As Public Insurance Adjuster here in Florida we typically get two responses from homeowners when asked why they didn’t file a insurance claim the the damage they incurred. 

The first response is that they were ”scared” this is understandable as the typical homeowner will file on average one insurance claim every 10 years and a lot of homeowners have never even filed one. 

The second common response we hear is ” i don’t want my premium to go up” Unlike auto insurance, homeowners insurance premiums are not entirely tired to how many claim are filed rather they are based on your particular zip code. Ask yourself this, when was the last time your premium went down or even staid the same?

At the end of the day you have insurance to protect you in case of a sudden and accidental loss such as a hurricane damaging your roof, a fire destroying your home, or a water leak in your kitchen or bathroom.

You incur damage, then what? 

If you think you have damage to your home it is best to call a public adjuster as soon as possible.  As  Public Adjusters not only are we well versed in insurance policy but we also have a extensive background in construction. What might  look like a loss could actually be a much larger underlaying issue.

Additionally, what may look like a ”big” cause of loss could actually be a simple fix and you may not want to file a claim on it.

 

The Homeowners Insurance Claim Process

Once the claim has been filed your insurance carrier would want to inspect the and document the damages, if you have a public adjuster representing you they will be there for all inspections with the carrier.

Once the inspection is complete your public adjuster will submit on your behalf a complete and fair evaluation of the damage.

Your carrier has up to 90 days to determine coverage for your claim from the day that is was filed or reopened. As public adjusters we cant force them to open coverage but we will build the file and give them every opportunity to come to the negotiating table. 

Your public adjuster will be in contact every step of the way and every offer has to get your approval before final settlement.