Owning a home can mean dealing with the unexpected, from a tree falling on your roof to a pipe bursting in your bathroom. Because you can’t prevent all unwanted surprises, knowing what to expect if you have a homeowner’s claim can help give you some peace of mind. Insurance carriers can handle claims in
different ways, but here are some basic steps in the process.
Get the OK to re-enter your home. If your home has extensive damage, do not go back inside until cleared to do so by emergency personnel or local government officials, even if the damage is confined to one room.
Have your information ready. Typically, when you report your claim, you will be asked to provide your name, contact info, policy info, type and date of loss, and a description of the loss and of any injuries. If you have a home inventory, you may want to have it handy. Generally, your claim will be assigned a claim number, and a claim professional (also called an adjuster), who will work with you during the claim process.
Report your claim. Contact your insurance company as soon as possible. The sooner you report it, the sooner your insurer may be able to help.
Inspecting the damage. The claim professional will typically call you to discuss what happened, what your insurance policy may or may not cover and make arrangements to inspect the damage in person.
Document your losses. Using photos or videos can help you remember things that you may have lost. If you don’t have an inventory, look for photos of the damaged areas. You’ll want to make a list of everything damaged inside your home.
Save your receipts. When making any necessary temporary repairs, protecting property from further damage or pursuing temporary housing arrangements, be sure to save your receipts. Your insurer may ask you to provide them as part of the claim process.
If you are not able to stay in your home after a covered loss, your homeowner’s policy may reimburse you for additional living expenses, such as hotels, car rentals and other day-to-day normal expenses caused by having to temporarily relocate.
Temporary housing. If you need temporary living arrangements while your home is being restored after a covered loss, your carrier may refer you to a service provider or give you permission to stay at a hotel or rental property.
Every loss and insurer are different, so the length of time to resolve a claim varies. The claim professional’s inspection of the damage and details of the loss will help determine the time needed to settle a claim.
Receiving payment. Once the claim professional determines that your policy covers the loss, you can generally expect to receive a check based on an estimate of the damage, either on the spot or soon afterward.
Looking to save on your life insurance coverage? A health screening is a critical part of the application process that can help you get your best rate.
Did you recently tie the knot? Or maybe the big day is fast approaching. It isn’t uncommon for couples to spend a great deal of time and energy planning for their wedding day. What’s more rare is the likelihood that couples put time and energy into discussing their financial future and how to approach finances in their marriage.
As we grow and change, the choices we make in life often mirror our needs. Your financial protection needs work much in the same way. What you need in your 20s is not likely to match what you need in your 40s, which will further evolve as you approach your 60s and beyond. Luckily, AAA Life has solutions for you every step of the way.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution when looking at the needs of Generation X and their life insurance policies. Whether you’re planning to retire in the next few years, still have kids living in the house with years of college tuition checks still to come, or anything in between, now is the best time to act to help protect the futures of those that you care about.
Manage My
Account
Join AAA Now
AAA Blog.webp)