There are basic duties that all property owners have after suffering a loss. These can be found in any policy and we trust you are aware of these. Here are some additional insights and ideas that go beyond your fundamental responsibilities that can help you in moving your claim forward in a direction and manner of your choosing.

• Resist the natural inclination to be in a hurry to settle your claim and see quick progress. In the long run, it will be well worth the extra time to work out a proper settlement.
• DO NOT HIRE ANYONE (including a public adjuster) until you have a copy of the insurance company's estimate of repair. It makes no sense to pay someone a percentage of what the insurance company is going to offer anyway. You won't know whether you are going to be treated fairly or not until you get your estimate. Let the adjusters do their job and the proof will be in the pudding.
• Be very careful and go slow before you consider hiring the adjuster's "preferred" contractor. For all intents and purposes they work for the insurance companies and as a result are often more interested in keeping them happy than you, the policyholder.
• Absolutely do NOT hire any contractor without first seeing a complete detailed estimate of what he intends to do and how much it will cost. This is your home, and probably the biggest investment of your life. Make sure anything you sign prior to getting a complete estimate is only allowing for temporary repair or mitigation type work – very limited authorization.
• As soon as possible take lots of pictures of the damage, inside and out. The more the merrier. Good wide angle shots of everything and close-ups of specifics in the most damaged areas.
• Ask your adjuster in writing to provide you a complete "certified copy" of your policy. The policy is the instruction manual for the claim. You will need an up-to-date copy. It is free.
• Your adjuster is going to keep a written log of all activity associated with your claim (including conversations with you). It would be prudent for you to do likewise. Don't let the insurance company be the only one documenting the claim.
• Put any request for information or answers in writing to the adjuster. It will send them a very obvious message that you are taking this claim seriously and it will force them to respond in kind. What is in writing carries infinitely more weight than what is spoken verbally.
• Get broken windows and doors boarded up to prevent theft and additional damage.
• Have any roof damage "tarped" or temporarily covered. This cost will be reimbursed or paid by the insurance company. It is your responsibility to protect your property from further damage, not the adjuster's.
• It is common to be asked to give a recorded statement. Take it seriously and be absolutely honest in every answer. Make sure you have them agree, while the tape is running, to give you a copy of the tape as well as the transcript if it is transcribed.
• Don't allow the insurance company to put you into temporary housing that is half the size of your damaged home. You are entitled to maintain the same standard of living you had prior to the loss. For the sake of your marriage and your kids, insist on similar accommodations and furnishings. This insurance claim adjusting process is going to take longer than you are imagining right now. You will regret it if you disregard this little piece of advice, we promise.
• While you wait for the certified policy, ask your insurance agent to print out a current declarations page for you. This document will show you the policy limits for your structure, contents and additional living expenses.
• Do not allow anyone to demolish or tear out any of the damaged structure. Until the structural portion of the claim is completely and finally settled the structure should remain as is. Destroying "evidence" will only hurt your chances of getting completely indemnified.
• Along the same lines as immediately above, do not throw away any clothes or household items before the inventory is complete, every item photographed AND the insurance carrier has approved it IN WRITING.

 

137 Third Avenue North   Franklin, TN 37064         

site by: iDesign, Inc.