If you’re a homeowner, you have a lot to protect. Your property, your possessions, and your family are all at risk if disaster strikes. Homeowners insurance can help provide the financial resources needed to replace or repair those things if they are damaged or destroyed.
But what happens if disaster does strike? What is the process for filing a claim with your insurer? And how long should you expect to wait before receiving payment? This guide will quickly walk you through the homeowners insurance claim process.
What Is Homeowners Insurance?
Homeowners insurance covers your home, its contents, and any other structures on your property. It also covers liability protection for injuries that occur on your property.
If something, unfortunately, were to happen to your property or belongings, homeowners insurance can help cover costs related to repairs or replacement. If someone gets hurt at your house, for example, the liability portion of homeowners insurance will help pay for his medical bills if he sues you.
How Do I File a Homeowners Insurance Claim?
In order to get paid for damages, you need to file a claim with your insurer. This involves filling out all the required paperwork and submitting it to your insurer so they can review it and determine whether or not they will pay for any damages that occurred during an incident covered by the policy (i.e., theft, fire, flood).
You should be able to file a claim online or over the phone if you have internet access and have been given access codes by your agent/broker/insurance company representative (if they are available). Otherwise, you’ll have to complete a claims application form and mail it back in along with any other documents required by your insurer, such as receipts.
Process to File a Claim
The first thing you should do when you need to file an insurance claim is to call your insurer. You can use the same phone number you used to buy the policy or the contact information on your policy card.
Your insurer will likely ask you some questions about what happened: How did it happen? Was anything stolen? Were you hurt? What are the damages?
Once they have enough information from you, they’ll be able to tell if it’s covered under your policy and just how much it will cost to repair. They might also offer advice about how much money you’ll need for temporary living expenses.
