Good Tips for Making a Storm Damage Insurance Claim

5/30/2020 (Permalink)

Insurance Claim

Sometimes Mother Nature likes to shake things up a little or even a lot. If your home didn’t weather a storm as well as you hoped it would, we’ve got some tips to help you file an insurance claim and get back on track quickly. Here’s where you should start.

Act quickly. Filing a claim with your insurance company in a timely manner is important for a couple reasons. Most insurance policies limit your time to file a claim, which makes being quick to connect essential. You’ll also want to repair the damage to your home or property before it has a chance to get worse.  Both of these are very good reasons for reporting your claim promptly.

Review your policy. Know what your homeowners policy and optional insurance covers. How to proceed and what you can expect from the process, SERVPRO of Vermilion County can help with this! Every insurance policy and claim is different. Reviewing your policy gives you information that specifically applies to you.

Document everything. It’s smart to keep a log of the storm and the damage. Save news reports and take pictures immediately after to document any damage. Don’t start cleaning up until you’ve documented as much of the damage as is safe and wait to handle the big messes until after a claims adjuster has assessed the situation.  A reputable mitigation company like SERVPRO of Vermilion County will document and take pictures both before, during and afterwards so your claim tells a story that is both easy to follow and informative.

Be wary of scammers. Unfortunately, storm damage can bring scammers to your area with promises of quick and cheap repairs. Whether you’re filing an insurance claim or not, research anyone who offers to repair your home. Look for businesses who are licensed, insured and experienced such as SERVPRO of Vermilion County.

Mitigate your damages. If the storm affected a large area, you may have to wait a while before a storm assessor can review your damage.  Contacting SERVPRO of Vermilion County right away can help speed up the process.  They can do things to help stabilize your situation and prevent the damage from becoming worse. This could include tarping your roof, cleaning up a wet basement, boarding up holes and more. They will document the damage, then document the steps taken to protect your property. Should you find yourself having to deal with storm damage, call SERVPRO of Vermilion County at 217-443-0077 and speak with one of our friendly staff today!  We are available 24 hours a day seven days a week and we are here to help!