How do I File a Claim for Water Damage?

11/5/2022 (Permalink)

Remember to review your policy and determine if you are covered.

How do I File a Claim for Water Damage?

Water damage is a serious issue, and you should never underestimate the impact it can have on your home and property. But while filing a claim can be intimidating, it’s also necessary. The first step is to review your policy so that you know what kind of water damage coverage you have (or don’t have) before contacting your agent about filing a claim.

Review your policy

Before you file a claim, it's important to review your policy and determine if you are covered. A standard homeowners insurance policy will only cover damage caused by water if it occurs suddenly and accidentally in the home. If this is the case, then any leaks will be covered up to whatever amount is stipulated in your policy. 

Contact your agent

To file a claim for water damage, you must first contact your insurance company. Once the claim has been filed, an adjuster will come to your property and assess the damage. They will collect information about what happened and why it happened, as well as how much money is needed to fix it. After collecting this information from you and inspecting the damaged areas, they'll let you know if they can cover any of those expenses (e.g., repairs or replacement). If so, they'll take care of paying for them on your behalf; if not, their rejection letter will explain why—and give advice about how to proceed next.

Document the damage

Documenting the damage may be one of the most important steps you take. It's easy to get caught up in the urgency of saving your belongings and getting water out of your home, but if you don't document what happened and how much is damaged, it will be difficult for an insurance adjuster or lawyer to assess your claim.

To make it easier on yourself later, take pictures with a cell phone camera or digital camera before doing anything else:

• Photographs of the area before any damage occurred (to show how clean or dirty it was).
• Photographs of any wet spots that were visible after initially starting cleanup efforts (to demonstrate how widespread they are).
• Photographs from multiple angles that clearly show where water entered your home as well as its path throughout different rooms.

Get an opinion

The first step in filing a claim for water damage is to get an expert opinion.

You should ask other professionals who are qualified to give their opinion on the situation, such as your insurance company's adjuster or a contractor who specializes in water damage restoration.

Even if it seems like you're wasting time by having too many opinions, these experts will be able to point out any errors with the initial report and provide valuable insight into how much work will be needed for remediation and repair.

Filing a claim is not hard, but there are steps you have to take.

As with any insurance claim, the first thing you need to do is call your insurance agent. If there is an emergency situation, like a burst pipe or flood, then take photos and video of the damage as soon as possible so that you have evidence to present in your claim. You should also keep all receipts related to repairs or cleanup costs. When working with a company, such as SERVPRO of South Palm Beach, they will take care of entire claims process for you alongside the mitigation and restoration services. This is definitely something to consider when shopping around for water cleanup companies after a loss.