You recently suffered damage to your home during one of the major storms that passed through. You called your insurance company about the damage, but they seem to be giving you the run around. You would continue to wait for them to give you a payment to fix your home, but you’re worried that waiting longer will just make the damage more serious.
You’re in a similar situation to what many people in America face when trying to work with an insurance company. Sometimes, they handle claims slowly in the hope that you’ll drop your claim completely. Other times, they’re simply slow at processing claims, but those delays open your home up to more damage.
What should you do if your home is damaged?
Of course, filing a claim is important, because it starts the process. However, you can’t always wait as long as it takes for your insurance company to get back to you with their settlement or claims payout.
If you are worried about your home being damaged more significantly than it already has been, you can decide to get the work done yourself. Pay for it out of pocket, then seek repayment from your insurance company.
Will the insurance company pay back what you spend on repairs?
Yes. Keep your receipts and documentation of any repairs that are completed. You can submit them to the insurance company, and they should then reimburse you.
There are cases where the agency may fight the claim you make, even though you’ve done only what’s necessary to make your property whole once again. In those cases, you should talk to your attorney about any rejected claim you’re dealing with. If your claim is accepted but the company doesn’t want to cover everything you had done to your home, you can discuss this with your attorney as well.
Your attorney can also help you from the very start. When your property is damaged and you realize that your insurance company is taking its time responding, contact your attorney. You can then start moving forward with repairs and rely on your attorney for negotiation with the insurance company.
Dealing with an insurance company can be tricky, and they do sometimes take too long to get back to you. If you are dealing with problems with your insurance company, your attorney can step in and help you get the reimbursement you deserve for any repairs performed on your property.