We all think with our hearts and not our heads sometimes. And when it comes to our largest asset, our home, our thoughts can be very emotion based. Here’s what you should know before you put a claim in for your home. Here’s the scenario (and it’s a real past customer story however I did change the names out of respect):
Mike was playing ball with his sons outside when a ball got stuck on the roof. Mike decided to get the ladder out and climb up on the roof to get the ball. Once he was on the roof, he was very upset by the condition of his roof. Mike found a ton of hail damage on his shingles and on the flashing (the metal surroundings on areas of his roof). Anyways, Mike called me and told me what he found. I thanked him for letting me know first before he just called in the claim. I explained the claim process and asked him to please follow the procedure. He chose not to, which is very common and so frustrating when you’re really trying to make the process go as smoothly as possible. Anyways, in the end it all worked out but that was 4 months later. Mike experienced a ton of aggravation, missed work and most definitely called me very upset many times. Now, why??
What we caring Insurance Agents will tell you about filing a claim on your home:
- Always call us 1st
- Always let us give you 2-3 roofing company referrals. Let them check out your roof first so we know if a claim is the way to go. DON’T USE JUST ANY ROOFING COMPANY-PLEASE!
- Share the home deductible with the roofing company so they can tell you if it makes sense
- Know that once a claim is filed, it cannot be taken off or deleted. It’s now on your record for 5 years and will impact your premium even if it’s $0.00. We all agree it’s craziness but it’s true. If you have 2 or more claims, you could be dropped by your insurance company. If dropped, you could possibly have serious issues finding a new company or pricing that you can afford. Take this part serious! It’s the worst conversation we have with a customer.
Now, when in doubt what do you do?? Call your Agent! Auto claims are different, so look for a future blog post. If you have any questions or concerns we are always just a call, email or text away!