Having any sort of damage to your home can be stressful, and that’s especially true if you’re unsure whether your insurance company will pay for repairs. To maximize the likelihood that your storm damage home insurance claim is covered, there are a few key tips you can follow.

Keep reading to learn about what you should do when making a home insurance claim, and then reach out to a bad faith insurance attorney for help if you believe your claim was wrongfully denied.

1. Review Your Home Insurance Policy

The first thing you should do when it comes to making a storm damage claim is to review your policy. You’ll need to determine what storm damage is covered in your policy and identify any exceptions or disqualifying factors. 

You can get help with reviewing your policy from an experienced bad faith attorney. Once you know what’s covered, you’ll be in a better position to make a claim for relief.

2. File Your Insurance Claim Quickly

Speed is essential for making a successful homeowner’s insurance claim. First, your policy likely has a time limit on how quickly you need to make a claim after the damage occurs. Acting quickly also means the time it will take to get compensated will be shorter, making it possible to start on repairs sooner. 

Not only is having repairs done sooner more convenient, but it also helps prevent further damage from occurring. 

3. Keep Good Documentation

From major damage to tiny details, make sure you put everything in writing. You’ll need to make a record of all of the damage sustained on your property, gather news reports from the storm, and keep documentation from any repair contractors. Keep track of all important dates and times, and create a timeline of events. 

The more organized you are before you make a claim, the more likely you are to be successful.

4. Get Professional Opinions

To give your storm damage claim the best chance of succeeding, it’s a good idea to get quotes from professionals regarding the damage to your property. Documentation of the damage is important, but a professional opinion can carry more weight compared to a personal account. 

Repairmen and contractors, or more specifically a storm repair contractor, can help you gather strong evidence to support your claim for compensation.

5. Don’t Clean Up

After a storm has damaged your home, you’ll probably want to start cleaning up as soon as possible. Unfortunately, things aren’t quite that simple. You’ll need to gather evidence and possibly have your property assessed before you begin making any sort of changes. Don’t discard any damaged items or repair any minor problems. 

If there are any emergency issues on the property, take a photo before addressing them, if possible.

6. Do Mitigate Further Damage

It may take quite some time before an assessor is able to come to your property to document the damages. In that case, there are still things that you can do to prevent further damage from occurring. For example, you may need to tarp your roof, board up holes, or clean out a flooded basement. It might also be a good idea to move undamaged items out of the house. 

Keep in mind that any damage to your property that occurs after the initial storm isn’t likely to be covered.

7. Talk to an Insurance Attorney

If you’re having problems making a storm damage home insurance claim, reach out to a storm damage attorney for help. An attorney can help you make a strong claim, speak on your behalf with the adjuster, or negotiate for a higher settlement. 

No matter what problems you’re having with your claim, an attorney can help you find options.

If you’ve already made a claim and now feel your insurance company isn’t handling your claim properly, a bad faith insurance attorney can help you fight for what you deserve. Whether your insurance company is delaying payment or wrongfully denying all or part of your claim, a bad faith attorney can help.

Start down the path to a successful storm damage homeowner’s insurance claim today. Contact a storm damage attorney for help with your case.

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