About WSYC Law

Filing An Insurance Claim After A Natural Disaster

Filing An Insurance Claim After A Natural Disaster

Residents and business owners have one thing in common when it comes to property insurance: it is a necessary part of owning or renting a space in the event that an unforeseen disaster were to inflict damage on the property. Building fires, flooding, hail damage, destructive windstorms, and blizzards can all cause extensive damage to both residential and commercial properties, especially here in Alberta, where we experience particularly harsh winters with lots of rainfall and snow during the cold months. That being said, it is important for home and business owners (and renters) to insure their property so that they are compensated for the damage if a particularly vicious blizzard, flash flood, or building fire were to wreak havoc on their property.

At WSYC Law in Edmonton, Alberta, our insurance claim lawyers help clients recover insured losses after suffering from a natural disaster, car accident, or any other kind of property damage, such as break-ins, theft, vandalism, and more. We also help clients file insurance claims and work on their behalf to reach the appropriate insurance claim settlement for their unique situation, whether that be a residential or commercial insurance claim. Contact our insurance lawyers today if you need legal assistance settling a car insurance claim or a property insurance claim in Alberta. Or, continue reading to learn how to file an insurance claim after a natural disaster has damaged your home or business.

Assess The Damage

If your property has been impacted by a fire, flood, or any other kind of natural disaster, the first thing you should do is evacuate the premises until it is safe to return. The biggest mistake home and business owners make during a natural disaster is to try and salvage as much of their property as possible, which can lead to further complications like personal injury. If your building is flooding or going up in flames, the best thing to do is get out of the way so that emergency responders can mitigate the situation as quickly as possible, which heavily determines how much of the property can be recovered after the threat has subsided.

Once emergency personnel have deemed it safe to return to the property, it’s time to assess the damage and begin determining what the insured losses are worth. If you own a technology firm, for example, and all of your company’s computers and other equipment were ruined, make a note of their value and document the damage so you can present it to your commercial insurance adjuster. Other items are not quite as quantifiable, such as family photos, heirlooms, and other personal belongings, which are likely to be damaged in a house fire, flood, tornado, or other natural disaster. This may cause a bit more of a struggle with your insurance company during the claim settlement process, which is why our insurance claim lawyers are here to fight for you.

get help settling a home insurance claim in alberta

Review Your Insurance Policy

After the damage has been assessed and quantified, it’s time to review your residential or commercial insurance policy to see what kind of coverage you have. Your homeowners insurance policy should outline everything included in your property insurance package, such as dwelling protection against fires, earthquakes, floods, and other immediate threats in your area. The same goes for commercial property insurance — smart business owners will make sure their bases are covered with insurance against building fires and natural disasters, in addition to liability insurance (in the event that customers or employees were to get hurt on the premises), burglary, and other forms of potential property damage, like vandalism or break-ins. This type of coverage will include compensation for broken windows, stolen property, and more, which is unfortunately not an uncommon byproduct of natural disasters.

File A Property Insurance Claim

Once you have reviewed your insurance policy to determine your specific coverage, it’s time to file the property insurance claim with your insurance agency. The better prepared and organized you are with proof of the damage and its cause, the more smoothly the insurance claim settlement process will be. One way to ensure that you are successful in getting compensated for your insured losses is to hire an experienced insurance attorney to act on your behalf. This can save you the massive headache of filling out paperwork, bartering with your insurance adjuster, and in some cases, having to go to court to settle the claim.

WSYC Law in Edmonton, Alberta, has a team of experienced insurance lawyers who are ready to help any home or business owner settle an insurance claim, whether that be an auto insurance claim, a liability claim, or a property insurance claim involving damage to your assets. Give us a call today to learn more about how we handle insurance claims, or contact us online to book a consultation with our insurance claim lawyers.