Things to Do After Filling a Water Damage Insurance Claim
When a natural or artificial disaster has damaged your home, it can feel like the world is ending. But leaving your home and starting over isn’t always easy. That’s why you need to plan and ensure you care for yourself once the damage is repaired. Repairing your home after a natural disaster will be expensive; it’s crucial to have a water damage insurance claim.
Confirm Your Insurance Company is Paying the Claim
Confirmation that your insurance company has paid your water damage claim is crucial for many reasons. For example, it will help you know how much your repairs will cost and how much you will have to pay. It will also help you understand when to expect the insurance company to pay your claim. Some companies will pay your claim as soon as they receive it. Others require that you wait a certain amount of time after filing a claim. And some will only pay a certain percentage of your claim. Confirmation that your insurance company has paid the claim is usually listed on your claim check or receipt. Adjuster reviews will guide you on what you expect as compensation.
Record Any Improvements You Make
Once your home is repaired, you can make any improvements you want. This can include changing your flooring, painting your walls, adding a staircase, installing a new kitchen, or building a deck. The process of making these improvements can be difficult and time-consuming. It would be best if you started planning them as soon as you have a water damage insurance claim. When you begin making these improvements, make sure you record them. That will help you keep track of your work and prevent you from forgetting it.
Set Up an Exception and Save It for Future Claims
If your home was flooded, you might be able to set up an exception and avoid paying a portion of your insurance claim. This may be possible if your home is valued at less than the value of the contents. You can set up an exception until your insurance company processes their appraisal of your home’s damage. The assessment of your home’s damage, also known as your “appraisal,” will help your insurance company determine how much they will pay on your claim. After your insurance company receives their appraisal, they usually pay your claim in full. If they do not pay your claim in full, you will owe them interest on the amount you are owed. That means it may be in your best interest to set up an exception to help you pay less on your water damage insurance claim.
Confirm Your Home is Secure and Dry
Confirming your home is secure and dry is vital before moving back in. If your home is not safe and dry, thieves or vandals may try to break in or cause more damage to your home. If this happens, you could end up paying even more for repairs. You can start this process by having a locksmith re-key your home’s locks. You can also put a sign on your front door, an alarm on your home, and notice at your local neighborhood watch. These precautions will help protect your home from thieves and vandals.
Establish a List of Repairs
It’s important to document all the repairs you need to make on your home following a water damage claim. That way, when you take out a home improvement loan, you can show the lender that you have a list of repairs. It’s also a good idea to keep track of the repairs you need on your home to help you avoid any future issues with your home. For example, if you need a new roof, you can mark that down on your list of repairs. This will help you manage your budget as you plan for these costs.
Meet With Your Insurance Company or Repair Professional
Before making decisions about your home and finances, you must meet with your insurance company or repair professional. This meeting will allow you to understand your insurance claim and your options. It will also let you ask questions or clarify any assumptions about your water damage claim. You should also schedule this meeting before you move back into your home once it has been repaired. This will help you understand the process as you go. It is also advisable to review your adjuster to assist you in making estimates of the damages.
Stay in Touch With Your Homeowners’ Insurance Company
It’s essential to stay in touch with your homeowners’ insurance company. You can use this time to explain to the company what has happened and your plans for the future. This will help you protect your home and your finances. You can also use this opportunity to explain any modifications you have made to your home since the flood. It would be best if you remembered to do this. If you don’t, your homeowners’ insurance company may change your policy and charge you higher rates.
Create a Fund for Future Repairs
It’s essential to create a fund for future repairs. This will help you manage your finances and protect your finances as you continue to make repairs to your home. A home repair fund can be set up through a debt management program. These programs allow you to make monthly payments on your repair fund. This helps you pay for repairs as they come up without having to worry about cash flow. A home repair fund is beneficial if you have a long-term illness or disability. These types of insurance plans are often available to people unable to work.
Protect Yourself From Fraudulent Claims And Scams
Protect yourself against fraudulent claims and scams by reading your policy carefully and getting familiar with the claims process. Also, make sure to monitor the news for any significant incidents that may have a negative impact on your home. Many resources are also available to help you better understand your insurance claims process. For example, the National Flood Insurance Program has step-by-step guides to help you understand your claim process and navigate your way through the claims process. It also provides resources to help you know how to protect yourself when filing a claim, such as the NFIP Flood Insurance Scam Prevention website.
Deodorize and Disinfect
It would help if you made every effort to use a deodorizer to remove any excess smells and odors from the affected areas. It would be good if you also used disinfectant to remove any germs that could be present in the affected areas.
Don’t Leave Dead Animals or Plants Inside
If you have pets in the house during the water damage, you should make every effort to dispose of the dead animals as soon as possible after the water damage has been repaired. This will prevent any pathogens the animals have been carrying from spreading throughout the neighborhood. It will also prevent the dead animals from causing any future damage to your property. If your pets cannot be properly disposed of, you should keep them at a distance from your home as soon as possible. You should also ensure to keep any garbage cans affected by the water as far away from your property as possible.
Turn Off the Power to all Compromised Appliances
Once the restoration company has cleaned up the water damage from your property, you should turn off the power to all compromised appliances. This is an excellent preventative measure that will help to reduce the likelihood of any future damage occurring. It will also help prevent electrical fires and other issues from the power staying in your home.
Take Photos at the Start and End of the Job
When the restoration company first cleans up the water damage from your property, you should make every effort to take photos. This will help you to keep track of the repairs that the restoration company makes and will also help to make sure that the job gets done correctly.
Make A List of What Was Repaired And Who Did It
When the restoration company has completed its work and the water damage has been cleaned up, you should make every effort to list what was repaired and who repaired it. This will help to make sure that you are adequately compensated. It will also help you get the most out of the restoration company. You should list who worked on the job and who should receive credit for doing the work if they are a part of the restoration company. It will also help to keep track of the restoration company’s work and ensure that the job is appropriately documented. This will help ensure that the restoration company doesn’t try to charge you for any work they did improperly. It is vital also to rate your adjuster.
Protect Your Investment by Maintaining a Well-Maintained Property
You should always maintain your home correctly when the restoration company has completed the job. This will help to protect your property from future damage.
Seal and Patch All Open Areas
As soon as the water has been removed from your property, it would be best if you began sealing and patching all the open areas. It would work best if you used epoxy to fill any holes in your roof and elsewhere on your property. This will prevent any future damage from occurring and will also help to make the restoration process go much more smoothly.
The unfortunate truth is that a water damage claim is an inevitability following a natural disaster. To make the most of the situation, you will need to be prepared by having a water damage insurance claim. Once you are ready, you will be able to handle the situation properly and make the most of the benefits that come with it.