It is an overwhelming and emotional time for any property owner - your beloved home or business has sustained damage during a storm or some other catastrophic event. You are likely at a loss in terms of where to go from here, but there are a few important steps you should take in order to expedite a return to normalcy for you and your property. Here are a few things you should do as soon as possible in order to ensure a complete and minimally painful claims and repair process for you and your home or business.
First, you should document the extent and nature of the damages to your property once you are able to do so safely. You can never have too many pictures of any structural damage, so be sure to take plenty which depict both an overview and details pertaining to the damage. It may not be possible for you to get detailed pictures of damage to your roof or other out of the way structural components. Damage to these items will be assessed by your adjuster, whether that be your insurance adjuster or an independent public adjuster. Given they will be fully responsible for determining the cost of repairs to these important parts of your property, you should consider retaining the services of a public adjuster to ensure a thorough and complete repair is paid for by your insurance carrier.
Once you have documented any damage to your property, you should begin to amass any receipts or records for any personal property which was damaged or destroyed during the event. Most property insurance policies include coverage for personal property up to a certain dollar amount, but you should collect any and all records regardless of their total monetary value. A public adjuster will fight to get as much of your personal property replacement costs covered by your insurance carrier, as when it comes to personal property they are reluctant to pay out any substantial sum as part of your insurance claim. This is another reason a public adjuster is a valued individual to have on your team, as the claim and repair process will be painful enough without you having to do battle with your insurance carrier alone.
Property damage is almost an inevitability for home and business owners here in South Florida, as the threat of hurricanes and tropical storms seems to grow year after year. While any situation in which you sustain damage to your home or business is a tragedy, the extent to which the repair and claims process will be an arduous and painful journey will be determined in part by how proactive you choose to be in the aftermath. By taking the time to quickly and thoroughly document the damage to your property as well as the value of any personal items damaged or destroyed during the event, you can make the difference between a long and unsatisfying claims process and a successful recovery of sufficient funds to get you back to normal. At People’s Insurance Claim Center, we understand the emotional turmoil you as a property owner experience immediately following a catastrophic event. We are here to help you navigate the claim and repair process, call us today at 305-956-3666 so we can provide a free claim analysis and advise you of your best course of action!