4 To Do’s When filling a Water Damage Claim

4/8/2020 (Permalink)

Here are a few tips on what to do when you are filing a water damage claim. It is always good to take extra steps when protecting your home and your family.

Prevent Additional Damage and Secure Valuables:

You have informed your insurance company of the disaster, now prevent additional damage to your property!  You may be advised to board up any broken doors or windows, tarp holes in your roof, turn off the water supply, remove excess water, etc. Also, remember to take your surviving valuables to a safe dry location to keep them in good condition.

Review your insurance policy:

Does homeowners insurance cover water damage? So many factors to look at, so you need to find out exactly what your own insurance policy covers. You may or may not have coverage for:

• Floods
• Sewer or drain backup
• Accidental water damage from a heating or air conditioning system
• Mold remediation
• Restoration of water-damaged furnishings, electronics, and personal items

Review your existing policy carefully so that you can understand all the provisions and talk to your agent!

Record Proof of Water Damage

Take pictures and videos of your damaged property and preserve any broken parts that may have caused or allowed water damage to take place – this way, you will have indisputable evidence for your insurance claims. Have in mind that nothing should be thrown away and the scene should not be altered (as much as possible) until an adjuster comes to inspect the property.

Make a Detailed inventory about any Damaged Possessions

To get reimbursement for your damaged items, you will need a detailed inventory list stating the make and model number of every piece, its age and current condition, as well as the replacement cost and the actual cash value of individual items. Creating such a comprehensive inventory sheet is quite difficult and time-consuming, but is critical if you want to be paid for water-damaged contents.

If you have a water damage, call SERVPRO® of Madison, Rockcastle, Garrard, & Lincoln Counties today. We are here to help you.