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How To Negotiate When Making A Homeowners Insurance Claim
2010-02-14
Homeowners insurance coverage is like making a bet against the accidents of nature. You pay your homeowners insurance premium every month against the risk of having to make a home insurance claim you don't anticipate. When the day comes that you need your home insurance, then it's time to lay all the cards out on the table. You've paid your end for homeowners insurance. Now is time for the home insurance company to pay their end of the commitment. Stick to your guns. Try this advice on how to negotiate when making a homeowner's insurance claim.
Call the Proper Authorities
In the case of theft, inform the police immediately if you plan to make a home insurance claim for theft of damage to the property. This is important even if costly items aren't stolen. There may be more missing than you first think, especially in the case of valuable items you keep safely hidden and don't see often. If you have a police report in hand, you've got more to work with. Always get two copies of the report, so you have one for yourself and another for your homeowners insurance company. It always helps to have legal documents backing up what you've claimed is stolen.
No is Not Final
When you are negotiating a home insurance claim, the keyword is negotiate. Less than 1% of those making a home insurance claim query to dispute the decision when denied, but more than half that do get results. You've got a good chance to win if you fight back. You've invested in homeowners insurance coverage all these years, so you deserve to get what's coming to you. Some 10% of claims are unjustly denied. Fight for your right for the full amount of the homeowners insurance coverage you've paid for.
Argue Against Claims Process Errors
Every homeowners insurance company has a claims process or filing process. You may need to file by a given time or have all paperwork completed correctly. A home insurance company may try to deny your home insurance claim based on an incorrect form or a missed deadline. The good news is that a homeowners insurance company can't deny a claim based on a claim filing error in most legal jurisdictions, unless they can show that you were trying to harm the company or prevent it from being investigated properly. Each county and state has its own rules regarding this, so look up what's appropriate to your locale. Stick to your guns when negotiating a homeowners insurance claim. You paid for good homeowners insurance, so you are entitled to homeowners insurance coverage when you need it the most.