 Is there a chance your water damage claim can get denied? As horrifying as it seems, yes. Unfortunately, there are instances when property damage claims get denied. How can this be avoided? When your home or business is damaged due to a water leak, the first thing you should do is seek help from a public adjuster in Broward County.
A public adjuster will guide and assist you to ensure that your insurance company acknowledges your claim. We use state-of-the-art tools and equipment to identify and establish the cause of the damage. The evidence and documentation presented to your insurance company by a public adjuster will help you get a good claim settlement. Why Do Water Damage Claims Get Denied? Lack of Understanding One of the biggest factors for insurance claims getting denied is when a home or business owner does not understand the coverage in their insurance policy. One example is a hurricane. Do you know that some water damage caused by a hurricane may not be covered by insurance? Before you report your insurance claim, make sure you have thoroughly read your insurance policy. If there are terms and conditions you do not understand, you should ask a public adjuster for help. Failure to Maintain Your Property Another reason why an insurance claim can get denied is failing to maintain your home or business. For example, if your claim is due to a roof leak, the insurance company can deny coverage if you did not repair your roof and let it leak continuously. In some insurance policies, the damage caused from a roof leak is not always covered unless the damage to your roof is caused by a covered peril in your policy. For example a hurricane, wind, lightening and hail. Insurance policies cover sudden and accidental damage, not continuous damage over a period of time. If you are diligent and try to stop the damage immediately, you are protecting your property from further damage. However, if you do not stop the damage and it continues for a period of time, the insurance company can deny your claim. When You Use The Wrong Terminology When you report an insurance claim it is important to know what is causing the damage. Is the damage a plumbing leak, air conditioning leak or from some other source? When you call your insurance and you use the wrong terminology to describe your damage, your claim can be incorrectly classified which may lead to claim denial. It is important to hire a public adjuster to handle your insurance claim to facilitate the claim process and prepare and submit the required documentation. How to Get Your Claim Approved Aside from hiring a reliable public adjuster, there are other ways to increase the chances of having your water damage claim approved. Review your insurance policy every year and ask questions to get clarification on coverage. If you are underinsured or do not have the correct coverage for your property, you can increase policy limits and add coverage. If you have ever experienced flooding in the past, you know it is important to have flood insurance coverage. Flood insurance is not the same as water damage, so review your insurance policies and make sure your property is sufficiently insured. Finally, it is important to maintain and check your home and property for leaks while making sure the necessary repairs are completed. Are You Looking for a Public Adjuster in Broward County? If you need help with your insurance claim or want to make sure you were paid adequately to cover your property damage, you have come to the right place. At Reliant Insurance Adjusters, we will make sure that your insurance claim gets covered. We have your best interest at heart and that is what makes us special and sets us apart from others. We treat every property damage claim as if it were our own. Give us a call to get a free consultation.
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 At first glance, nearly every strain of mold looks the same, which makes identifying toxic and non-toxic mold in your home challenging.
Though mold, toxic or otherwise, rarely crosses your mind on a regular basis, there are several signs that can indicate its presence in your home. Mold can begin growing in as little as 1-2 days and is generally not easy to spot until it has spread or you start to experience related health issues. Black mold produces mycotoxins and is the most common strain of toxic mold. If you are subject to prolonged exposure to this type of mold, it can lead to more serious health issues. Mold is not always covered by insurance. It must be caused by something that is covered under your insurance policy so, before your rush to file an insurance claim, you should have your policy and coverages reviewed by a licensed public insurance adjuster. 3 Simple Signs to Identify Toxic & Non-Toxic Mold in Your Property Here are several signs to help you determine if you have either type of mold in your home, and which type it may be. However, sometimes it is difficult to determine without the proper testing by a professional testing company. #1: Something smells off Something in your home smells quite musty and it is not the laundry basket. Unfortunately, this could be an indicator of either type of mold growth and may pose a health risk. #2: It is growing plain as day One of the more common ways people discover mold is when it becomes visible. Toxic mold typically grows in hidden, dark, and damp spaces, however, it can also grow in open areas like on your ceiling or walls. It may not be a toxic strain, but you should still proceed with and have it properly tested so you know what type of mold it is. #3: You aren’t feeling so well lately Toxic mold can lead to severe health problems, especially related to your respiratory system. Some symptoms of toxic mold exposure parallel common allergy symptoms, such as: ● Rashes, hives, and itching ● Coughing ● Shortness of breath ● Sinus congestion ● Memory loss ● Fatigue Toxic and non-toxic mold growth can both result in additional damages to your home and cause problems with your health. If you notice or suspect mold growth, it is important to have it professionally tested and remediated. Contact Reliant Insurance Adjusters should you have any questions. We will help you every step of the way with your mold damage insurance claim.  Your home is supposed to be dry except for your bathroom, but sometimes things just happen. Suppose you get heavy rain, water from your roof made its way into your home and damaged your walls and flooring. In the same week, you come home after work and discover pools of water from outside that caused a flood inside your property. This is your cue to call an independent adjuster in West Palm Beach to inspect your house.
After studying the damage, your public adjuster may say your flood insurance only covers the damage caused by the flood and not the water damage to your home caused by the heavy rain. This can sound confusing. Flood damage and water damage insurance policies are not the same because flood damage is not recognized as water damage. Let’s talk about the differences between the two. Flood Damage Versus Water Damage Flood Damage Flood is defined by the National Flood Insurance Program as: A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or of two or more properties, at least one is the property of the policyholder from:
Water Damage Typically, homeowners insurance will only cover water damage. However, we suggest that you review your insurance policy and study the kind of water damage it covers. If there’s terminology you don’t understand, you should consult with a public adjuster for assistance. Generally, water damage is different from flood damage because it happens before water touches the ground. An example of this is a strong rainstorm that penetrates through your roof causing damage to your walls and your floors. Another example of water damage is when your plumbing pipes on your second-floor burst and water gets absorbed in your ceiling. Maybe an overflowing toilet soaks the floorboards of your bathroom or you encounter a hailstorm that breaks through your windows causing water to get inside your home. The Main Difference Between Flood and Water Damage Claim Ultimately, you can think of it this way: the difference between the two is that flood water originates from a natural source and when two or more properties are affected. This means it’s not just your home that experienced the flooding, but your neighbors’ properties as well, as a result of rising waters or heavy rains. In such a case, you can file a flood insurance claim. However, if you are experiencing water problems exclusively to your home and your neighbors’ homes are safe, then you’re going to need to submit a water damage claim. Are You Looking for a Reliable Independent Adjuster in West Palm Beach? Dealing with either flood or water damage can be scary, but you can make the experience less stressful if you ask for help from an independent adjuster. At Reliant Insurance Adjusters, we have your best interest at heart. We will treat your property damage as if it were our own. While it’s true that many companies offer the same services as we do, we strive to give you nothing but the best service by offering our knowledge, resources, and experience so that you can get the best settlement for your claim. Give us a call to know more about what we do.  At the end of the day, insurance companies have to meet their bottom lines to remain in business. They must be able to assess risk and avoid as much loss as possible.
Unfortunately, this can mean your insurance provider may cancel your policy if your insured property (home, auto, etc.) is posing too much risk or cost to continue coverage. I feel compelled to write about this because this just happened to a family member of mine and I am assisting her with obtaining new insurance coverage. While most individuals have continuous coverage from the same provider for several years, others may encounter a hiccup or two and learn their policy is being non-renewed or canceled. Common Reasons an Insurance Company May Cancel Coverage There are a variety of reasons why your insurance company may choose to cancel or non-renew your insurance coverage, and it is important to understand why in order to move forward and even potentially retain your coverage. The following are common reasons why your provider may choose to cancel or non-renew your insurance policy.
What You Should Do If Your Insurance Company Drops You Should your insurance company choose to cancel your policy, your timing will be everything in order to remain covered. Here are a few things to consider if your insurance company cancels or non-renews your policy. Review any Claims You Have Made Insurance companies are in the risk management business, which means they are frequently assessing how insuring you or your property impacts their bottom line. If you have filed several claims and are notified that your policy is being cancelled, this could be why. Take some time to review the many aspects of your claims, including:
Evaluate Any Changes If you are planning to plead your case with your insurance provider, it can be worthwhile to evaluate any changes that have occurred and resulted in your cancellation. Providing substantial evidentiary support that things have changed for the better and why it is going to be different can help you retain your insurance policy or provider at the very least. Here are a few examples of how evaluating changes in your situation can prove beneficial.
Show The Value You Add to Your Insurance Provider Have you been with this insurance company for years? Have you trusted them to cover all aspects of your property, such as cars, homes, life insurance etc.? If you have been a long standing policyholder with them, let them know. Remind them how many years you have chosen them to protect you. If you have made upgrades to your home, it is important to let them know. In some cases where the roof or plumbing system in your home is older, the insurance company may require you to replace them in order to continue insuring your property. Sometimes insurance companies feel they may have more exposure in a certain area, or the claim costs have increased and they can non-renew your policy. If this happens to you, then you will need to seek coverage elsewhere. Contacting An Insurance Adjuster Can Help Too If you discover that your insurance company is cancelling your policy, you have to act quickly. There are still some options and steps you can take to keep your policy and provider should you choose. Consulting or hiring an insurance adjuster can help provide support to any claims that have been made and help properly assess any future claims. If your policy is getting cancelled, you should contact Reliant Insurance Adjusters to see how we can help. |
AuthorKaren Schiffmiller Archives
September 2022
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