How to work with a property insurance claims adjuster
A contributed post as written for The Safe Driver.
**Editor’s note** I recently experienced water damage to my home, so I thought this may be of value.
Your home has just been through a fire or a flood. You have contacted your insurance company, started your insurance claim, and you have just been allowed re-entry to your home to evaluate the damage and rescue any valuables that could be stolen or further damaged by the elements if left in place. Your next steps will involve providing information and documentation as part of your insurance claim.
The process can feel overwhelming. Using this checklist, you can navigate the process in manageable step-by-step pieces. You may also want to talk to a public insurance adjuster or home insurance lawyer to help you negotiate your settlement and ensure that you do not forget any crucial steps in the process.
#1 Notify the Insurer and Get Situated
Notify your insurer of the loss as quickly as possible, then get your Family into safe accommodations. Consider staying at either a hotel, with friends and family, or in a short term rental unit. Retain receipts as you incur new expenses like restaurant bills, re-purchasing necessities like hygiene products, and your hotel bills. If you cannot incur these new and additional expenses out of pocket, consider requesting an advance on your Additional Living Expenses claim, which will provide you with some money up-front that will then be removed from your insurance coverage at a later time.
#2 Review Your Insurance Policy
As soon as possible, review the Declaration Pages of your insurance policy. The Declaration Pages are a summary of your insurance policy, including coverage limits, the address covered by the policy, the names of those covered, and the specified type of loss (fire, flood, etc.). You will also want to review your Long-Form Policy Booklet, but you may need to contact your insurance provider for an updated version, including inflationary raises to your coverage limits.
#3 Evaluate the Damage to Your Home
When you re-enter your home, you should document the damage done by fire or flood. Take videos, photos, and write down detailed descriptions of the damage.
Throughout the claims process you will work with an experienced property claims adjuster from the insurance company. They are hired by the insurance company to evaluate and provide recommendations on your claim. The will develop a Scope of Work related to repairing or rebuilding your home, as well as evaluate your Schedule of Loss and Additional Living Expenses. A property claims adjuster will tour your home, and it is to your benefit that you guide them and make sure they see the full extent of the damage done.
A claims adjuster does most of the work of processing the insurance claim. They assess claimed damage and make a recommendation to the insurer with regard to payment. They will be acting for the insurer, and therefore, their recommendations will focus on the insurance company’s interests. You can hire a professional with experience in home insurance to advocate for you as well.
#4 Make a Schedule of Loss
Once you have evaluated the damage to your home, the next step is to evaluate the damage done to your personal property. Fires and floods can cause extensive damage to your personal belongings, but your home insurance likely provides coverage for property including clothing, linens, furniture, appliances, electronics, food, and valuables like jewelry or artwork.
This should be a complete list of your personal possessions. Ask your family for help, including specifics about their own belongings or wardrobes. You can also consult photos and online credit card statements. Credit card statements are especially helpful if you need to know what an item cost when you bought it to determine depreciation, or where you bought it and how much it will cost to replace the item.
Working with a property claims adjuster can feel intimidating. Be thorough and accurate as you evaluate the damage done to your property and belongings.