Tips To File Hurricane Damage Insurance Claim For Your Home

 Each year hurricane damage results in losses worth millions of dollars. While the suffering in the aftermath of a hurricane are immense, if you have been vigilant enough to get yourself insured against Hurricane damage for your property, we have compiled a few tips that can help make your claim process go smoother.

1. Start right after the storm

Once you are safe and see that your property has been visibly damaged, do not delay in contacting your insurance agent. The agents might keep busy because just like you many people in your neighbourhood have been affected by the same catastrophe, therefore, under no circumstance lose your patience. Once you have called, back it up with an email as a written evidence of your request. Include some preliminary photos of the damage for proof. Maintaining a log of your correspondence along with detailed notes on who you spoke to, their designations and subject of conversation.

2. Try getting ahead with making basic repairs

Be careful not to make any big restoration developments as it may poorly convey your claim case, but small repairs will help you bring the situation under control. Assessing the damage takes patience. Ensure that you have duly studied electrical wires, plumbing and furniture damage to remove any potential accident that may occur because of this. Also ensure not to make any change before taking a number of pictures duly annotated with dates and times of when they were taken. It is also useful to keep the receipts of any material bought or repairs done. These will be useful when making an estimate for the claim.

3. Make an inventory of all the damaged goods or structures

Make a detailed inventory of any leak, water damage, cracks or crevices or mold development. Make sure that you seal the contaminants and lock them away from the reach of children and other family members. It is a good practice to walk through your home with a video camera and add details as you go. Keep such photos handy that you had taken before the hurricane. These will allow the insurer to compare and contrast the damage done.            

4. Start getting bids from different contractors for estimates of the repair

Without getting scammed from rogue contractors who demand small payments upfront and then disappear, get a realistic estimate on the repairs. If the damage is too vast and beyond your capacity, get a second opinion by contacting ProFloridian Public Adjusters, Hurricane Damage Public Adjusting firm with offices in South Florida. When meeting with a potential public adjuster ask for their terms of engagement and agree on payment terms before entering into a contract however urgent they might try to establish. Take them through every damage that was done and explain to them in detail, putting value to the damage wherever you can. Ask from them a timeline and help them stick to it.

If you are denied your claim and live in a federal disaster area, you may be eligible for a Federal Emergency Grant. Do your research and see if you can lower your out of pocket expenses through this. Hiring good a Public Adjuster is a good strategy to ensure you are paid a fair amount for your damage. These professionals prepare your claim and understand the jargons of the insurance industry like the back of their hand. Remember that filing a claim and getting your claim settlement amount is a matter of patience and is not resolved as quickly as you would expect. This will ensure that your claim settlement process is as smooth as possible.