Home Insurance Claims - 4 Steps for Problem Free Processing

We all think home disasters won't happen to us.
The reality is that they happen all the time.
When filing a home insurance claim, many issues can come up that you just don't need to deal with when trying to make your home livable again.
Following these easy 4 steps will help to ensure a headache free insurance claim.

1. Call a restoration company.
   Once a disaster has happened, you must take the necessary steps to prevent further damage.
   Any damage due to negligence will not be covered by your policy.
   The most important thing is to tend to the emergency.
   Find a reputable restoration company in your area to work towards getting your house back to pre-loss condition while you deal with the insurance claim.
   If you do not know where to begin looking for restoration professionals, you may contact your insurance company to find out who is on their preferred list.
   
2. Contact the insurance company.
   Be sure to have the details of your policy on hand as a reference.
   It is important to know what is covered and what is not.
   If the claim were to happen on a weekend, it will not be processed until the nearest work day.
   Information they will want is your policy number, address, name, and type of claim (flood, fire, wind, vandalism).
   They will usually send someone out to assess the claim within 4 days.
   
3. Take pictures! You will need to be able to prove all of the damages to your property and items.
   Present an inventory list containing all of the assets that were damaged in the claim.
   If you do not already have a detailed home inventory, you will now have to remember and retrieve all of the items that were damaged in the claim.
   You will need to know serial and model numbers, description of the item, and photographs.
   
4. Prepare proof of purchase.
   Once the inventory has been sent, it will need to be approved by an insurance adjuster.
   If they disagree with any items on the list, be sure to have proof of purchase and value on hand.
   Without this, you may not receive the full value of all assets lost in the claim.
   It is very important to keep receipts for all purchases, especially major ones such as furniture or a television.
   

There are many things that can go wrong in an insurance claim, but following these steps will help ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.