How To Make A Successful Water Leak Insurance Claim?

Purchasing the insurance policy is an easy task. The more challenging task is filing a claim. Not only is the process tedious and time-bound, but it has a lot of formalities that the insured needs to fulfill. On top of that, every time one files a claim, it is not necessary that the insurance company will accept it and honor it. Most claims get denied because they are not filed correctly, and some because the damage is not covered in the insurance policy. So all the running about becomes a waste of time, money, and effort. Nevertheless, don’t be disheartened, for if you go about claim filing correctly, your claim will not be denied.

Water leak insurance claims are one of the most common that homeowners file under their homeowner’s insurance policy. Nonetheless, these are also some of those claims that have a high rejection rate. So today, we shall tell you how you can make a successful water leak insurance claim.

Making a successful water leak insurance claim is not very difficult. If you proceed with caution and do as per the insurance company’s advice, you will not face much difficulty getting a fair settlement. So here’s how you need to proceed to make a successful water leak insurance claim:

1. Understand Your Homeowners Insurance Policy – To make a successful claim, it is essential to know the types of loss or damage covered by the policy. You can ask the insurance agent or seek a qualified independent party, like a public adjuster , to help you understand the policy’s coverages and terms. The whole point of this exercise is knowing beforehand what is covered and what isn’t. If the damage is not covered, filing a claim for it is futile. It is a waste of time and energy, for it is bound to get rejected.

2. Control The Leak Or Water Build-Up – Controlling the leak or water build-up does not mean you start the repair work straight away. That will have to wait until the insurance company gives the go-ahead. In the interim, you will still have to undertake mitigating efforts to prevent further damage. For example, shut down the water supply, so no more spill occurs, and stop the water from spreading by building a barrier from old clothes or sandbags.

3. Inform The Insurance Company And Ask What To Do – The very next step should be to call the insurance company and inform them of the water damage that has occurred in your home. At the same time, ask them what specific requirement you need to fulfill to file the claim. Follow the steps as advised by them. Do not work with the assumption that you know everything. For all you may know, there might have been some change in the process and formalities since the last time you filed a claim.

4. Document The Complete Extent Of Loss – Since it is water damage, some of the water and maybe even the whole of it will evaporate by the time the insurance adjuster arrives on the scene to access the loss. Therefore, it helps to document everything. Take pictures of the loss without moving the damaged things from their original place. Also, note down the day and time of the loss. If the exact time is not known, make a record of the time when the damage was noticed first and by whom. In the long run, these little details will make for a smoother claim settlement process.

5. Get Quotes From Multiple Registered Contractors – You need to get quotes for repairs and reconstruction from several contractors. These details are to be provided when filing the claim. Make sure that all the contractors you refer to are registered. Quotes from unqualified contractors will not be accepted and may lead to the rejection of the claim by the insurance company.

6. Fill The Forms Correctly – If you file the claim form with incorrect or fudged information, it is considered equivalent to hiding pertinent facts and lays the ground for claim rejection. Fill the form timely, correctly, and provide all the supporting documents.  

7. Be Ready To Ask For Help – For some of us, the running around when filing the claim may be more than what we can handle. In this process, there are no shortcuts. So if it seems too intimidating a task, hire a public adjuster. They only charge a small percentage of your claim and ask for payment only after the insurance company pays you. They will handle the complete claim settlement process, and you have to do nothing apart from sign the pacers and attend meetings when asked. The claims process cannot become any easier than this.

There are two types of water damage claims that are almost never covered. These are the claims that arise from:

Filing claims of any type, including water leaks, is a tedious process. Hence, be ready for hard work until and unless you are ready to hire a trusted and reputed public adjuster. If so, you can sit back and relax, and someone else will see to all the details. If not, be sure to follow the precise process. Start with undertaking the mitigating steps, inform the insurance company, record the loss in the form of pics and videos, get quotes from registered contractors, and finally, present your claim to the insurance company with the “Proof of Loss” and all the other supporting documents.

When it comes to claims, time is of the essence, so you can’t put off things indefinitely. If you don’t have time or the inclination to run pillar to post, hire the expert team at Continental Public Adjusters . We can help you file the claim correctly and ensure that you get the maximum possible amount as the settlement. To book an appointment to discuss your claim, give us a call at (800) 989-4769.