Water damage is one of the most common causes of home insurance claims. Claims due to water damage impacts 1 in 50 homeowners each year. It’s no wonder people have a lot of questions about water damage, what is covered under your homeowner’s insurance and why things, like “gradual damage” are not covered. When the polices cover the specific situation, filing a claim allows you to replace or repair damaged items or areas of your home.
Evaluate Your Policy
The first step you’ll need to take is determining whether or not your damage will receive insurance coverage. For burst pipes due to extreme weather, vandalism, storms, or other situations that are completely out of your control, you should be able to have these damages covered. If the water damage is a result of flooding, leaks from pipes that haven’t received proper and timely maintenance, or water seepage through the ground, you will most likely not be protected by your homeowner’s insurance company. In short, your insurance company will not allow you to file a claim if they believe the cause of the accident is your fault, whether it had to do with negligence or forgoing a flood insurance add-on. Read the details of your policy before taking any steps to file a claim.
Document the Damages
A picture is worth a thousand words. Take pictures and write down any details in a journal if you notice a problem. Taking photos right after the accident occurs is a strong way for your insurer to assess the situation, but it’s also a way to prove to your insurance company that any mold that may form was caused by the incident. Mold is only covered when it is proven to be a result of the claimed incident, so including this in your claim with photographic proof will save you a lot in repairs. Markdown the replacement cost and the actual cash value of each item as well. This inventory sheet may be time-consuming, but it’s important in making sure your personal property is adequately covered. If you hoard receipts, you’re in even better shape.
Contact Your Insurance Provider
Now that you’ve got some photos to show to your insurance company, it’s time to give them a call. Speaking with an agent about the damage is a crucial step in helping them determine whether or not they will cover the damages, and it also helps you decide if you want to go through with the claim based on the cost of your deductible. If the estimate is substantially lower than the amount you would pay in a deductible, you might consider not filing a claim in the first place. However, this is a rare occurrence, as water damage repairs tend to cost quite a lot. By preparing for the process, you get the help you need for repairs or replacement items in a timely manner.
Contact a Good Restoration Company Quickly
Professionals will identify and create solutions that minimize or eliminate the chance of future occurrences. Make sure they are certified. Just as certified accountants, plumbers, and mechanics project a higher level of competency in their fields, and just as members of the American Medical Association and American Bar Association set themselves a part through training, experience and comprehensive examination — IICRC certification helps to immediately identify the cleaning, restoration, and inspection industry’s most skilled and dedicated technicians and businesses. Great care and up to date techniques will be used to prevent damage from warping, swelling, buckling and decontamination furniture. Odors, mold and other health issues will be prevented throughout the entire process. When the team is finished, you will have a dry, clean, and safe environment again.
Contact us (859-525-2379) for more information or to schedule an appointment
We’re available 24/7 for questions, estimates, and emergency services. Call us day or night to speak to a technician.
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About Paramount Restoration
Paramount Restoration performs emergency remediation throughout Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky for water, storm, fire, mold sewage damage and more seven days a week, 365 days a year. Call us day or night for an estimate – we waive 100% of the estimate fees for all calls between 8 am and 5 pm!