The unimaginable has happened: a hurricane has hit your office. The bad news is that all of your labor and livelihoods have now been severely compromised. The good news is that you now have office insurance in place to assist you to rebuild and cover these losses, particularly if you believed FDAS to make sure you have the right coverage in place.
It is your responsibility to stop any further damage after you have documented all the damage with video or photos and called the insurance company to report the loss. This entails sealing off any windows and doors, wiping up any spills, and, if practical, tarping the roof. The insurance adjuster’s examination of your claim is what you can anticipate happening next. These pointers will help you communicate with the adjuster.
Consult With Your Lawyer
Booking a consultation with a lawyer is the most crucial action you should take before negotiating with an insurance provider about a claim. You are not required to retain a lawyer after meeting with them for a consultation on your case. The majority of personal injury lawyers could work with an insurance provider rather than you. You’ll discover negotiation strategies and advice for determining a reasonable settlement amount during the discussion. In addition to saving you money, doing this would also save you a ton of time.
Record Conversations
Any time you’ve called an insurance company, you’ve probably heard a message informing you that the call is being documented for “quality and training purposes.” An insurer’s record-keeping is not perfect, just like that of many other organizations. Because of this, you should keep a log of every conversation you have with the insurer. Note the time and date of the call, the caller you spoke with, and the conversation’s topic. If something significant is discussed, send the insurer an email to confirm the conversation and the details they provided as soon as possible.
Acquire Policy Documents
Any claim should consider the language of your insurance policy as a starting point. You must have a copy of your insurance schedule and policy wording in particular. You can ask your insurance company or broker for these.
The majority of people only read the language of their policies. You must read both the policy wording and the insurance schedule. Your schedule of insurance clarifies how the policy applies to you by relating to the policy wording, much like using a key to open a map. The schedule of insurance outlines your coverage, but the policy wording is identical for many insureds.
Substantiate Your Insurance Claim
You must provide proof of your claim and cooperate with your insurer if you file an insurance claim. This implies that you must inform the insurer of the details surrounding the loss’s circumstances and cost. Each claim has a different set of required documents and information. You could gather a police report, statements, photographs, invoices, quotes, and expert reports as a few of the documents to back up your claim. Items that have been damaged but are important to your claim shouldn’t be thrown away.
Your insurer may designate a loss adjuster or investigator to figure out the cost of your claim and whether your loss is covered by the policy. In most cases, whoever the insurer designates to look into the claim is an agent for the insurance provider. You should conduct your research and consult with outside parties to determine whether the claim has been fairly evaluated. The expense of doing so might be recoverable from your insurer as “claims preparation costs,” but in most cases, policies require insureds to obtain the insurer’s consent before incurring these expenses.
Obtain Documents
All files that the insurance provider receives from third parties, such as reports, quotes, invoices, statements, and photos, should be requested (in writing). If you believe that the information you were given during the procedure or when you first purchased your insurance was inconsistent, you should also ask for copies of the transcripts or audio recordings of your conversations with the insurers.
Ask for an Internal Review
Last but not least! During an internal review, an insured has the option to ask their insurer to reevaluate their decision regarding a claim. You could offer the insurer fresh data or supporting proof to take into account. The deadlines by which your insurer must reach a decision are described in your policy. When putting together submissions to the insurance provider in support of your claim, it is advisable to seek legal counsel.
It can be very stressful to deal with insurance providers and insurance claims. Most insured people have never experienced it before. To make sure that your interests and rights are adequately protected, it is crucial to consult with a skilled insurance lawyer or your insurance broker as soon as possible.