Filing an insurance claim can leave you with a headache, and nothing is worse than going through the motions only to find out that your claim has been denied. While insurance providers are doing everything they can to save themselves money, there are also ways on your end you can prevent a denied insurance claim.
1. Understand Your Policy
Nobody likes to sit around and read insurance policies, but it’s imperative to understand what coverage you have. Failing to understand your coverage can lead to a denied insurance claim. Even within your policy, you should take special notice of exclusions, as this is where many homeowners and business owners get denied. Most people don’t know how to read and interpret insurance policies, which is why public adjusters are available to you. At Guardian Public Adjusters, we can review your policy with you, put it into words you understand, and recommend how you should proceed with your claim.
2. File Your Claim Immediately
After any sort of damage has occurred, contact your insurance company immediately. Filing your claim in a timely manner is vital for a variety of reasons. Your claim largely hinges on documentation and evidence, so the more you have from the start, the better. Also, your policy will have a stipulation for how long you can wait to submit your claim. If you file your claim outside of this window, you can expect denial.
3. Document & Retain All Damages
When you have damaged property, you may be tempted to throw away things you can no longer use or try to clear the scene to make the space usable. This is extremely detrimental, though, as your insurance provider will want all documentation of damages. This includes physical evidence, along with record keeping. They will use this to evaluate how much compensation you deserve, so any missing pieces could lead to a smaller or even denied claim.
Even though disasters don’t occur frequently and many homeowners and business owners may never have to file a claim, your insurance carrier will still expect you to be claim experts. They will use any reason to deny your insurance claim, so it’s up to you to know how to avoid this. Luckily, you have the right to hire a public adjuster to work on your behalf. Guardian Public Adjusters is licensed throughout the entire state of Illinois to support residents and commercial clients with all types of insurance claims. Contact us to ensure a smooth claims process and maximum payout.