Everyone needs home insurance, even if they never really want to use it. If you've experienced a property loss, whether by fire, water damage or theft, you know it can be stressful. If you experience a loss, the first thing you must do is report it right away to your insurer. They will ask you a few questions to better understand the events surrounding your loss and determine the severity of damage. In most cases, they'll offer the appropriate assistance if you haveimmediate needs.
Your personal safety should be your priority. Do not go into your house if it was badly damaged. Contact the police immediately to file a report, and fix or replace your locks, if your home has been broken into. After a house fire, use a handkerchief or face mask over your nose and mouth so you don't inhale soot and ashes.
It is your responsibility to do what you can to mitigate the loss. Simply put, this means you are expected to take immediate action for emergency repairs or tasks within your control, with resources available to you, to minimize further damage. Preventing future damage is also your responsibility, so do any immediate repairs that you can, like getting a tarp over a leaking roof. Also make sure you save the receipts from the supplies you use so you can be reimbursed for these expenses.
There is usually a claims form that you are required to fill in and send back within a certain number of days, for small and standard claims. With this you will also need to include receipts as proof of purchase for the items you are claiming on. If you cannot find the receipts, use your credit card statements to prove the purchases. Call your bank or credit card provider and ask to be sent the relevant months' statements if you don't have copies of them.
Evidence can also be submitted in the form of photographs. Your home insurance claim will be smoother and quicker if you produce more documentary evidence.
Don't expect to make a claim on your home insurance if you just let a part of your home decay to the point of falling apart. Maintenance is one of the main exclusions that people are unaware of and sometimes attempt to wrongly make claims for. Home insurance does not and cannot cover home maintenance. You will never succeed in making a claim on your home insurance to check or replace roofing relating to maintenance. However, your claim would likely be successful if your roof suffered damage in a storm.
Again, be sure to separate items that may be cleaned or repaired. If you plan to throw away items you plan on claiming as damaged, first confirm with your claim representative whether you should do this. Also, be sure to review your policy for specific coverage information if you have not done so on a regular basis.
Your personal safety should be your priority. Do not go into your house if it was badly damaged. Contact the police immediately to file a report, and fix or replace your locks, if your home has been broken into. After a house fire, use a handkerchief or face mask over your nose and mouth so you don't inhale soot and ashes.
It is your responsibility to do what you can to mitigate the loss. Simply put, this means you are expected to take immediate action for emergency repairs or tasks within your control, with resources available to you, to minimize further damage. Preventing future damage is also your responsibility, so do any immediate repairs that you can, like getting a tarp over a leaking roof. Also make sure you save the receipts from the supplies you use so you can be reimbursed for these expenses.
There is usually a claims form that you are required to fill in and send back within a certain number of days, for small and standard claims. With this you will also need to include receipts as proof of purchase for the items you are claiming on. If you cannot find the receipts, use your credit card statements to prove the purchases. Call your bank or credit card provider and ask to be sent the relevant months' statements if you don't have copies of them.
Evidence can also be submitted in the form of photographs. Your home insurance claim will be smoother and quicker if you produce more documentary evidence.
Don't expect to make a claim on your home insurance if you just let a part of your home decay to the point of falling apart. Maintenance is one of the main exclusions that people are unaware of and sometimes attempt to wrongly make claims for. Home insurance does not and cannot cover home maintenance. You will never succeed in making a claim on your home insurance to check or replace roofing relating to maintenance. However, your claim would likely be successful if your roof suffered damage in a storm.
Again, be sure to separate items that may be cleaned or repaired. If you plan to throw away items you plan on claiming as damaged, first confirm with your claim representative whether you should do this. Also, be sure to review your policy for specific coverage information if you have not done so on a regular basis.
About the Author:
To learn more, visit insure your Alberta condo, or if you're insuring your apartment visit www.squareoneinsurance.ca.
EmoticonEmoticon