When your home sustains water damage, time is of the essence for getting everything repaired as quickly as possible. You must also act fast in notifying your insurance company that your home has been affected. This will help facilitate the process of getting water damage restoration services there to help you.
Whether your damage is covered by a standard homeowner's insurance policy or this event falls under your flood insurance coverage, claim filing is usually the same. Once you have done everything you can to reduce the damage in your home, contact your insurance company and then call for water damage clean up services.
Notify Your Insurance Company
Immediately after you have any kind of water damage in your home, you will likely want to try to salvage your personal items and start to get the water out. You also need to make a call to your insurance company as soon as possible to let them know what happened.
Do what you can to stop your belongings from being ruined by water, then call the emergency claims number on your insurance policy. Let them know what has happened and describe the damage you are able to see and tell them whether you need water damage clean up services.
Be sure to follow any instructions provided by the representative who is recording your claim about whether you can start to clean up or if you should wait until an adjuster can come view the damage.
Photograph the Damage
Before you start cleaning up any of the mess, photograph or video everything. This creates a record of what happened and the extent of the destruction. Your insurance company may ask you to provide photos as well. It is important not to throw out any damaged items, even though you have photographed or recorded them.
Save everything to show the insurance adjuster even if your insurance company gives the go-ahead to call for water damage restoration services.
Communicate with Claims Reps and Adjusters
After reporting your event to the insurance claims number, you should be contacted within 24 to 48 hours by a claims representative who will further guide you through the claims process. They will also arrange for an insurance estimator to come to your home and assess your water damage so a request for reimbursement can be made.
If you have already hired water damage clean up services to begin cleaning things, let the agency know this, along with the fact that you have photos/videos of the destruction when it first happened. Once the estimator views your home and submits your claim for approval for reimbursement, you usually can continue your clean up efforts and begin to throw away non-salvageable items.
Keep Receipts
From the moment the destruction in your home occurs, keep receipts of all expenses related to clean up, including invoices from water damage restoration services and other repair companies. Check your insurance policy to see what other reimbursements may qualify.
If you are displaced and have to stay at a hotel, keep these receipts as well since some policies may cover your lodging and other related expenses. You will have a chance to submit these receipts for reimbursement before the claim is fully settled.
Initial payment of an estimated claim for water damage in your home should arrive within 5 days after the adjuster submits the claim for approval. During this time, you should work with experienced water damage restoration services to get your home cleaned and repaired. Professional water damage clean up services are reimbursable and an essential part of restoring your home back to its original condition!