September 07, 2006
After The Deluge – Claiming Flood Insurance
Fine you’ve taken that flood insurance and you aren’t too worked up about the recent storms since you know you can claim. So how do you go about filing a claim? Here are a few tips:
Capture: Firstly, if you can, try to photograph the outside of the premises showing any damage or flooding. You should also photograph the inside, showing the damaged property and the height of the water if your property was flooded.
Call: Next, it is time to call your insurance agent to report your claim. If you have flood insurance, you should call your flood insurance agent who will prepare a ‘notice of loss’ form. Once that is done, an adjuster will be assigned to assist you.
Separate: Now here’s where your work actually begins. You should now separate the damaged from the undamaged property. Try to put things in order as much as you can so the insurance adjuster can examine them. If the weather is still bad and there are chances of future flooding, try to protect your property from further damage.
Inform: You must know how you want your claim – as an advance or a partial payment of loss. You can inform the adjuster of your choice. A piece of advice here: try keeping good records because this can help you get an advance from your insurance company. Create an inventory, if possible, a room-by-room one of the missing or damaged goods. If you can, try to include manufacturers’ names, dates and places of purchase, and prices. If you have receipts of purchase, keep them safely.
Dispose: If any of your property has been damaged and could hamper clean up operations, or pose a health hazard, it is important that you dispose it. But don’t forget to make a list of discarded items so you can present it to the adjuster.
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