Many things run through property owners’ minds when faced with damaged property. Your instincts may direct you to clean the property up before calling your insurance company. Unfortunately, you’re making a big mistake. While you need to stop the property damage from getting worse, it’s more important to document the incident. Read through this guide for top mistakes to avoid if you want to get the right coverage.
Trying to Make Money On Insurance Claims
Some people may be tempted to make money on their insurance claims. For instance, Let’s assume the estimated cost of repairing your damaged property is $5000. The insurance promise to give you a depreciated amount to start the repair project. Let’s say $2500 and promise to pay up after completing the project.
Some homeowners will be tempted to complete the repair project with just $2500 hiring the cheapest company so they can later pocket the rest. Insurance companies will ask you to provide invoices and possibly even proof of payment before sending the rest of the money. If not careful, you will lose the money and be left with poor quality work.
Tossing Damaged Materials
You need to be careful when cleaning up messes to make space livable. Don’t toss with damaged material. Your insurance policy may require that you make damaged material available for inspection because these materials contain evidence about what happened.
If you have to toss the materials, make sure you give your insurance company time to inspect the material. Also, take videos and photos of the materials you’re about to discard.
- Other mistakes to avoid include:
- Failing to document the incident
- Not having a home inventory
- Committing fraud by creating more damage.
Insurance policies contain many complex provisions that take away coverage. Not providing the proper formation about what caused your damage can give your insurer a reason to deny your claim.
