Has your home just flooded and now you have a ton of water damage and do not know what to do? For many people, dealing with water damage and filing a claim with their insurance company can be confusing and a difficult task. However, filing a water damage claim doesn’t have to be that difficult or taxing. For those who have never had to file a claim for water damage before, InsureWise will walk you through the process and tell you what to do when your home has received water damage.
Shut the Water Off & Call Insurance Company
First, you will want to stop the water. If you had water damage due to a leak, broken pipe or an appliance failure, stop the flow of water in your home. Once you have the water under control, you will want to contact your insurance company. Your insurance company will need to send out one of their claim adjustors to access the damage to the home’s structure and any personal belongings. Often the insurance company will set you up with one of their preferred contractors for water damage repair. However, in some cases, they will have you look for and then contact your own contractor.
Water Damage Restoration
Once the claims adjustor has finished their part of the claim, you will need to have a water damage restoration contractor come to your home. They will further access the damage and see to your home’s needs. They will help extract the water, remove the damaged material and repair your home. Before your contractor gets to work, you will want to begin documenting all of the water damages. You will want to take pictures of where the water damaged has occurred as well as the culprit. You can also shoot a video and use those as documentation as well. You will want to also look for your copy of your homeowner’s insurance policy as reference.
Document Water Damaged Items
While your home is being repaired by the contractor, don’t be shy. You will want to document what was needed to restore your home. It is important to take pictures and document what the contractor does in the event they discover a problem the claim adjustor may have missed. Additionally, begin making a list of every item that was damaged by water. As you go through your home, write down each item that made it to the trash. Often the insurance company will replace damaged personal belongings. Again, take pictures of damaged personal items as well and provide the photos to your insurance company.
What Information Should Insurance Companies have Access To?
Make sure to keep your receipts from the contractor and their invoice of everything that was done. You will want to provide the insurance company with all of your pictures, videos, written documents, and receipts. They will compare their notes with the claims adjustor and then reimburse you and or pay the contractor. The more organized you are and the more detailed information you can provide your insurance company, the smoother and faster your claim will be filed.
Flood Insurance Policy & More in Las Vegas, Henderson, Reno, North Las Vegas, Summerlin, Paradise, Spring Valley, Sunrise Manor, Enterprise, Sparks, Carson City & State of Nevada
If you have more questions about how to file a claim or are looking for flood or other quality insurance policies, call InsureWise today or click here to fill out this quick and easy quote form.
