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4 Tips For Getting The Return You Deserve On Your Homeowner's Insurance Claim After A Natural Disaster

by Gene Vasquez

Experiencing a natural disaster, such as a hurricane, can be devastating both emotionally and financially. If you own a home, once you are able to get back to your property, you need to go through the process of filing a claim on your loss. This can be a trying process, but it is important that you are as detailed and vigilant as possible to make sure that you get the return you deserve on your home after a natural disaster.

#1 Keep Track Of Your Communications

Document all of the communications that you have with your insurance company. Keep a log of all phone calls and voice mails that you receive. Be sure to note who you talked to, what you talked about, and how long the call or voice mail lasted. Record, save and print out all email communication. Copy all written correspondences.

This information will help you out if an issue arises with your claim or with the settlement offer you are presented with. A log of all communications will make it easier for you to prove how and what you and the insurance company communicated about. 

#2 Save Damaged Items

Do not throw away all damaged items from your home. If possible, take pictures of where you found all damaged items and the conditions that they were in when you found them. Try to build a pile of damaged items and save it for your adjustor to look at. It is often easier for an adjustor to understand the scope of damage your home and belongings took when they can see the damaged items for themselves. 

#3 Highlight All Structural Damage

Keep in mind that the adjustor the insurance company sends out to inspect your home doesn't know your home like you do. They don't know all the features and upgrades and how it looked before the storm damaged it. It is your job to let the insurance adjustor know what has been damaged structurally on your home.

As you go through the structural damage, be as detailed as possible in describing what was their before and the quality of the materials. For example, if your home was made out of expensive insulation and contained siding that was fire and bug resistant, make sure the insurance adjustor knows that. The more details you provide about the quality of materials that make up your home and what exactly was damaged, the better chance you have of getting compensated correctly for the damage. 

#4 Be Detailed With Your Inventory

When you provide the adjustor with a list of the inventory of your belongings, be as detailed as possible. Include every kitchen item you had, every book or movie you purchased, and every piece of furniture in your home.

Be sure to include any exterior items that you lost as well. For example, if the sidewalk was damaged or all of your lawn and garden equipment are damaged, include those items in your inventory. If your landscaping was damaged, include that as well. It can be really expensive to landscape your home and it is an investment you should be compensated for. 

Also, don't forget about your kitchen. Be sure to include what was in your pantry, cupboards and refrigerator. It can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars to replace all of your kitchen staples and pantry items, especially if you have a large pantry or specialized kitchen staple. 

  • Make the insurance adjuster aware of all structural damage. You want your claim to be as accurate as possible. Miss an area and repair estimates could be way off
  • Make sure the insurance adjuster is aware of the quality and features of components of your home that were damaged. Upgraded finish materials and appliances easily add up to thousands of dollars
  • Give the adjuster a complete home inventory, as well as receipts and/or photos of possessions that were destroyed or damaged
  • Include food items and sundries in your inventory if your policy covers them - think of how much it will cost to restock the pantry, let alone the deep freezer
  • Include exterior and landscaping items in your inventory if they are covered by your policy
  • Give the insurance adjuster the receipts for temporary repairs necessary to prevent further damage to your home, including items such as extra utility costs
  • Save damaged items to show to the adjuster, if possible
  • Get your own repair estimates from contractors to compare to the claims adjuster's estimate
  • Consider hiring an independent insurance adjuster and work with an insurance claims attorney to fight low settlements

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