Most homeowners have property insurance, even if they never end up using it. However, house fires, natural disasters, break-ins, vandalism, and other unfortunate circumstances make home insurance one of the most important kinds of insurance plans to have, as these things can wipe out your greatest asset at any time and without warning. That being said, our insurance lawyers at We Settle Your Claim Law are here to provide some advice in the event that you do have to file a home insurance claim in Alberta.
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Tips For Filing Home Insurance Claims: Part 1
Involve The Authorities
If damage occurs to your home or property that is of malintent, such as a burglary, trespassing, vandalism, or a drunk driving accident that results in someone’s car in your living room, the first thing you should do is file a police report. That way, the authorities will be the first ones on the scene to determine what kind of damage was done and can begin investigating who was at fault. In these instances, a police report is a valuable piece of information you can use when filing and settling a homeowners insurance claim with your insurance company, as there is little room to argue the fault or the value of the insured loss. Plus, official documentation is better than taking photos yourself, as this prevents the insurance adjuster from speculating that the proof was fake or tampered with.
Document The Damage
Even if your home wasn’t broken into or harmed due to another person’s negligence, our insurance attorneys highly recommend documenting any kind of damage that is inflicted upon your home or property. This includes everything from knocked-over mailboxes and vandalized sheds to the aftermath of a break-in, house fire, or flood. The more proof you have of your insured loss, the better, even if all you have is a few photographs and/or a police report with official documentation. An easy way to protect yourself if you do have to file a property insurance claim is to invest in a home surveillance system with cameras and alarms, which not only deter unwanted activity, but also capture everything on tape.
Look Over Your Homeowners Insurance Policy
Whether the damage to your home or property was due to malintent, negligence, or some kind of natural disaster, it is important to review your homeowners insurance policy before filing an insurance claim. If a tree branch broke and fell on your car in the driveway during a snowstorm, for example, you might want to do some research on whether or not this would be classified as an “incidental” by the insurance adjuster. In this case, you might end up with a higher insurance premium with the same deductible if you file the claim. As a rule of thumb, only file a home insurance claim if you know that the insured loss (or most of it) will be covered under your policy.
Contact WSYC Law For Help Filing A Homeowners Insurance Claim
We hope that this post has given you a little more guidance regarding what steps to take before filing a homeowners insurance claim, and that you will continue to part two of this blog series for more tips to ensure that you are covering all your bases. Until then, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our insurance lawyers at WSYC Law if you need help filing a property insurance claim and settling it so you get the compensation you deserve. Insurance law is all we do, so you can rest easy knowing that we have years of experience, knowledge, and skills to settle your claim. Feel free to read our testimonials here, and contact us today for your consultation!