When you need to file a claim, your insurance company wants to reach a fair and quick resolution as much as you do. Here are a few tips that you can follow to help speed up the claims process.
Prompt notice. Report the claim or an incident that may result in a claim to your insurance carrier or agent as soon as it happens. The information will be fresh in your mind and you should be able to assist with any questions the adjuster may have.
Mitigate your damages. If you need to patch a roof or have a temporary repair done to prevent further damage, go ahead and do it. Your adjuster and insurance carrier will thank you.
Complete a personal contents inventory. If there was a fire and you lost everything, an inventory of your personal contents would speed up the claims process.
- Ask your insurance carrier if they have an inventory form that they provide to policyholders.
- Go around your house room by room and take photos of your contents. A video camera works great for this!
- Store your inventory and photos or video in a safe place. This could be somewhere away from your premises, such as a safe deposit box. If you store the information on your premises, make sure it’s in a fire/waterproof safe.
- Keep receipts of higher priced items, which will help the adjuster replace your damaged or missing contents with items of like kind and quality.
Notify the police when necessary. If you are involved in an auto accident or you are a victim of a theft, notify the police immediately and file a police report. The report will provide information about the parties involved and possible witnesses to the accident. In the case of a theft or vandalism situation, most insurance companies like to have a police report before they issue payment for the loss.
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