Even when you diligently pay your insurance premiums, errors can undermine your ability to recover damages from incidents like fires, storms, or break-ins. To safeguard your claims process, steer clear of these typical homeowner’s insurance mistakes:
- Insufficiently Reviewing and Understanding Your Policy: Neglecting a thorough review of your policy and failing to grasp the specifics of your coverage can be detrimental. Ensure you comprehend your policy to prevent potential coverage gaps.
- Neglecting Add-On Coverages: Don’t purchase insurance without assessing the relevance of add-on coverages based on your location. These additional coverages can be vital for comprehensive protection.
- Overlooking Property Maintenance: Disregarding property maintenance might lead to policy rejection. Regular upkeep demonstrates your commitment to minimizing risks and maintaining your property in good condition.
- Failing to Maintain Recoverable Loss Records: Keep track of losses that can be recovered and establish a comprehensive home inventory. This information is essential for a smooth claims process.
- Inadequate Description of Property Damage: When filing a claim, ensure you accurately depict the extent of property damage to facilitate a smoother evaluation process.
- Delaying Claim Submission: Don’t procrastinate when submitting a claim. Timely filing is crucial for prompt assessment and resolution.
- Lacking Visual Documentation: Taking photos and videos of damaged property is crucial for substantiating your claim. Visual evidence provides clarity and proof of the extent of the damage.
- Undervaluing Professional Advice: For significant claims involving high value, seeking professional advice can be vital. Don’t assume you can handle complex claims independently.
- Premature Property Cleanup: After incidents like floods or fires, resist the urge to clean up before documenting the scene adequately. Thorough documentation is key for accurate claim assessment.
- Excessive Claims Frequency: Making too many claims can potentially lead to a premium increase. Evaluate whether a claim is genuinely necessary before filing.
This post was written by Kelly-Ann Jenkins of Jenkins Law P.L. Kelly-Ann is an insurance claim Lawyer. The information on this site is not intended to and does not offer legal advice, legal recommendations, or legal representation on any matter. Hiring an attorney is an important decision, which should not be based on advertising. You need to consult an attorney for legal advice regarding your situation. Click here to learn more! The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not constitute the most up-to-date legal or other information. This website contains links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser; the ABA and its members do not recommend or endorse the contents of the third-party sites.
