There are a lot of things everyone needs to understand when it comes to property damage insurance claims, especially when the property that is damaged is your home or part of your home. There are so many instances in which your home can be damaged without any warning or precautionary measures even mattering. Earthquakes and other natural disasters are happening on a much more rampant level in recent years, and so it’s important to keep your family’s safety in mind when presenting your property damage insurance claims because it is after all your prerogative to assert your claim.

Settling a property damage claim is many times very frustrating, and it’s really important to not have to do it on your own. By hiring a property damage attorney you’ll get the help you need to navigate your way through the insurance claims process a little easier, but here are 9 steps that will help you be more prepared for these intricate processes.

Step 1: Report your claim to your insurance agent immediately

It’s important to do this as soon as you know about the property damage or loss, and if your insurance company doesn’t have agents readily available you’ll want to call the company directly and record who you speak to and their title.

It’s also very important to send a follow-up email or letter emphasizing that you reported your property damage claim a day or so later.

Step 2: Film or photograph all damage and make an inventory

The very next thing you need to do after reporting your claim is get a documented record of everything that’s been damaged. Pictures and videos are really helpful in these situations, but it’s honestly just the beginning.

You’ll also need to create a very detailed list of the property and items that have sustained damages and attach your pictures and videos to this list to give to your insurance adjuster for your first meeting. If you have receipts that’s great, if not utilize your bank statements to provide proof of purchase for each item and list how much it cost and all the details of what it is (i.e. the make, model, brand).

Step 3: Keep all damaged property until it’s been inspected

You’re going to ask your insurance company to reimburse you for lost damages, so they have the right to inspect your home and see what exactly they’ll be reimbursing you for and why. That’s why they need to have the opportunity to look at it before it’s discarded, but they are still technically responsible for reimbursing you even if the item has been thrown out.  

You can also ask your insurance agent what you can or can’t throw out before they arrive for their inspection so you can be on the same page, and they’ll typically tell you when you can throw away damaged property. If you don’t hear from them about this matter it’s important to send them a letter about a date in which the property will be discarded, and thirty to sixty days tends to be a reasonable timeframe.

Step 4: Log your communications and contacts with the insurance company

You are going to want to make a diary of some sorts throughout your property damage claims process, and making sure you keep your contacts straight with the insurance company will make the process a little easier too.

Sometimes you’ll be asked to explain certain events that happen during the claims process later on, and so this diary can end up being very valuable.

Step 5: Confirm conversations and use writing

By recording and reviewing each conversation you have and then relaying that information to your insurance company, you’ll show them you mean business. By recording you’ll have the record for later on, it can give you an opportunity to explain your reasoning of the conversation and it also gives the insurance company an opportunity to respond if they disagree to your reasoning.

Always remember that the insurance company is required to take action within certain timeframes, and they also must keep you informed if they cannot perform their responsibilities diligently. This is where your property damage attorney will come into play significantly and make sure the insurance companies are doing what they’re supposed to.

Step 6: Don't sign any claims release forms without consulting your attorney

Don't let the insurance companies play any tricks on you by settling a claim prematurely, because this is their way of getting out of paying future, unforeseen expenses that will occur throughout the restoration process of your property damage. It’s pretty par for the course that insurance companies will require you to sign Proof of Loss forms, and these are forms that you should create with the help of your attorney because utilizing certain legal language techniques like known as of today will help you from limiting your claim.

And remember, insurance companies can’t require you to sign any kind of form that releases them from future liability. Things get really tricky, especially with intense property damage like homes, and an insurance company will almost always try to state that your claim is worth less than it actually is.

It may come down to you having to dispute the full value of your claim, and having an attorney by your side is imperative at that point.