Typical Water Damage Claims
As a first step in the process, it is important to prevent water damage claims from occurring. However, some water damage claims cannot be anticipated. Water damage most commonly occurs due to flooding, one of the most common natural disasters.
There is no coverage for flooding under home insurance. To ensure your home, belongings, and financial future are properly protected, you must acquire flood insurance.
In addition to flooding, your home insurance policy covers many other instances of water damage. The structure of your home, other buildings on your property, and your personal belongings are all covered with insurance.
You may also qualify for reimbursement for additional living expenses incurred from water damage to your home. Several water damage claims are filed each year based on the following scenarios.
Quickly file a claim
If you notice water damage in your house, you should first file a claim with your home insurance company. Your flood insurance provider will need to be contacted if you have flood damage.
First, you should file a claim with your insurance company because it will start the process. They’ll likely have to work on a first-come, first-served basis since they may have a lot of similar claims.
To get your life back to normal, you need to file a claim as soon as possible so that an adjuster can survey the damage.
Dispose of undamaged possessions in a safe place
To avoid a larger headache, make sure to remove any undamaged goods as soon as possible after filing a claim. You may have many damaged items if you file a water damage claim. Reclaiming them will reduce the headaches you’ll have to deal with.
You can distinguish between damaged and undamaged items when you move undamaged items out of harm’s way. Even mild water damage may require repairing or replacing items near the water damage.
Keep a record of all damages.
When you file a water damage claim, you should take photos and videos of all the damages. If there was any standing water or damage from water, you must document it.
If you document everything, it will be possible to rebut any damage that wasn’t included in your claim, even though it may be difficult to determine how much water damage you’re facing.
You can track your possessions’ value more accurately by keeping a home contents list. An inventory list contains all your possessions, date of purchase, value, and photos you have of the items.
Get rid of standing water.
The standing water within your home should be drained after you document all the damage that has occurred to your possessions and home. In addition to preventing further damage, drip irrigation prevents water from seeping into your walls and floors.
Repair water-damaged areas
It is likely that your possessions, especially carpeting, will remain water-logged even after you drain all the standing water from your home. Fans should be placed around the room for the areas that are affected by water damage to help dry the carpet.
Mold growth can be prevented by drying the area, particularly the walls and carpet. If black mold spreads throughout the affected area after filing a water damage claim, you must file another insurance claim to remove and remediate the mold.
Don’t throw away any damaged items.
You should keep your possessions until your insurance adjuster can assess them and determine a reasonable amount for repairs and replacements if there is water damage in an area.
To avoid prematurely disposing of your items, you should wait until your insurer gives you written authorization that it’s okay to do so. Since they may need to determine the value of your items, especially if depreciation is taken into account, they’ll need to determine the value of your items.
Start the recovery process.
You should wait to make any repairs until your insurer has authorized you unless your roof or walls have been extensively damaged. Getting their authorization before making repairs prevents underestimating the value of the claim. Place a tarp or plywood over a leaky roof or wall to prevent further water damage.
