When file a claim for damages to your home caused by an event included in your homeowners’ policy, you expect full compensation. It is only fair, since you were a diligent policyholder and paid your premiums on time. However, fairness is not something that insurance companies practice in relationships with their clients. Any Florida public adjuster can tell you that you must prepare carefully and follow specific steps if you want to maximize your insurance claim settlement.
Insurers are only interested in maximizing their profit, to the detriment of their clients. Whenever they can, they will invoke procedural errors, mistakes in evaluations, and any legal loophole available to them. This is how you can fight these tactics and make sure that you get the amount of money you deserve for your damages:
1. Choose Your Insurance Policy Carefully
Florida is a state with plenty of sunshine and great beaches. But it is also a state with many extreme weather events and old homes with outdated cast iron pipes. For this reason, you should not opt for the basic homeowners’ insurance coverage.
You can compare the various types of coverage offered by insurers at the official Florida Office of Insurance Regulation web page. Any Florida public adjuster will recommend that you purchase comprehensive coverage. This is in addition to hurricane damage coverage.
2. Take Annual Inventories
One of the most important elements of an insurance claim settlement is the evaluation of the losses you’ve sustained. This evaluation is made based on the value of the damaged items. Keeping an up-to-date inventory of your appliances, furniture, electronics and valuables will help your Florida public adjuster prepare an accurate evaluation.
To this end, you should make sure that you update your inventory every year – just as business owners do. It will not take you more than a few hours during a weekend to go through your home and add new appliances or remove those you’ve replaced.
3. Obtain Multiple Estimates
Do not stop after you’ve obtained an estimate to repair damage to your home from a reputable contractor. Get at least 3-4 estimates. Yes, this means extra time and effort. But it also gives a Florida public adjuster more leverage in negotiating your settlement.
They can show the insurance company that you were diligent. This can dismiss the low estimate the insurer will undoubtedly come up with using actual data.
4. Hire a Florida Public Adjuster
Even if you follow all the steps above carefully, you should not negotiate your claim on your own. An experienced insurance adjuster will be able to impose their views and you will end up with an undervalued claim payout.
Get in touch with us as soon as possible and let an experienced Florida public adjuster obtain the maximum settlement you deserve.