6 Steps To Take If You Need to File a Water Damage Claim Under Your Homeowner’s or Commercial Insurance Policy
Step 1: Before we get to the major steps your first step is to confirm that water damage is covered under your insurance policy.
Step 2: Now that have confirmed coverage, review the policy to find the water events that are covered in your homeowner’s insurance policy.
Common covered causes
Sudden discharge of water (like a pipe burst) no slow leaks
Fallen Trees on your roof that create an opening during a storm letting water inside.
Water Damage caused by Storms but no insurance coverage for flood damage.
Sewer backup if its caused by accident and not lack of maintenance.
Step 3: Call Your Homeowner’s Insurance Company and file your claim.
Many insurance companies offer automated service to file claims by phone or online.
Step 4: Call Your Property Insurance Attorney
A property insurance attorney will ensure that your rights under the policy are protected from the beginning. Insurance companies consistently deny, delay and underpay claims causing more unwanted stress to the homeowner and commercial property owner. Remember, your insurance policy is a legally binding contract. Insurance carriers are looking for more ways and legal reasons to deny claims by excluding coverages and making low ball insurance settlement offers that won’t cover the cost of repairs. Why risk it? Let your property insurance attorney enforce the terms of the homeowner’s insurance contract.
Step 5: Mitigate the Water Damage Without Doing a Total Repair (Don’t Destroy Your Evidence)
Your property insurance contract has certain requirements that you must undertake to maintain insurance coverage. You are required to stop the problem from spreading. Common insurance contract clauses require a Duty to Mitigate the water damage.
This is why you need an insurance attorney. The insurance contract does not list the mitigating steps you are required to take. They require you to take reasonable steps to minimize the damage. Reasonable by whose standards? The reasonable standard is vague and is an easy way to deny your claims.
Some Reasonable Mitigation Methods:
Shut the water valve off
Shut the water meter off
Use Dryers (rentable) to stop the mold (mold is usually excluded)
Place a tarp over the opening in your roof where the water is leaking
Step 6. Once your claim has been filed an Independent Adjuster (IA) or a company adjuster will be assigned to your claim. Here’s what you can expect from experienced property insurance attorneys:
Assist with claim management.
Prepare you for your Examination Under Oath.
Ensure that supplemental settlement payments aren’t unnecessarily delayed,
Attend inspections and re-inspections.
Engage an expert to determine the cause of your water damage if the carrier denies coverage.
The insurance companies are known to blame the insured for failing to properly maintain their property. You will need an engineer to determine whether the damage is due to your failure to maintain the roof or the damage was caused by a covered cause of loss the insurer has to pay for.