Most flood insurance policies cover direct damages caused to the buildings and personal property due to the flooding. The reason for the damage and its extent is something that the insurance company will decide. There also might be questions about whether the home insurance policy of the homeowner or flood insurance policy should cover the damage. If one is facing any problems getting the flood insurance claim, they can contact a flood insurance attorney.
In most scenarios, the flood insurance pays for damage to the following:
Building property coverage:
Flood insurance protects an individual’s home and foundation and the vital systems, including the electrical, plumbing, HVAC, appliances, water heater, carpeting, etc.
Content coverage:
Flood insurance covers personal belongings, including furniture, electronics, clothing, curtains, washer and dryer, portable air conditioners, and some valuable items.
This is what one needs to do before a flood.
It is always helpful when people photograph and video their homes before a flood. The before-and-after images provide the insurance company with a stark contrast that works as very good evidence, and these can be used when presenting an individual’s claims. One should also take cell photographs of the make, model and serial numbers of all the appliances and electronics.
One should also take the photos of the Declarations Sheet of the insurance policies and the phone number of the insurance carrier mentioned on these policies. After a flood, one might be unable to find those documents or be damaged. If one has a cell phone photograph, it will be immensely helpful when filing for claims later.
Filing a Flood Insurance Claim
If a flood damages an individual’s home, they must file a flood insurance claim. This process involves the inspection of the home done by professionals to determine how bad the damage is and what the repairs will cost. If a person faces any issues, they can also get in touch with a good flood insurance attorney.
To get the best claim results, one can go through the steps mentioned below:
- An individual must call the flood insurance company and let them know their intentions to file a flood insurance claim. The adjuster might take some time to get to the person filing the claim. So, one should politely insist the adjustor reach the spot as soon as possible before the damage worsens further.
- One should not clean the property before the adjuster arrives. But, it is important to take photos and videos of the damage to present it to the adjuster.
- When the insurance adjuster arrives, they will inspect the property to determine the number of damages and losses caused. One will need to sign the proof of loss statement also. This document will describe all the damages that the property sustained. It will also contain a list of the personal property damaged in the flood.
Conclusion
The amount of coverage one will get depends on what caused the damage. The amount of flood vs. wind will affect how much one can recover from the insurance company. For instance, the homeowners’ policies usually pay for an individual so that they can live somewhere else while the building contractors repair their home. But Flood insurance does not usually cover the loss of use coverage. Hiring the services of the best flood insurance attorney will surely help.
