Lately, the summer thunderstorms and rain showers have brought heavier than normal amounts of precipitation to our region. These rains have caused many homes in the area to show leaks that may not have been visible under normal conditions. The heavy rains can enter your home in many different places. Whether it comes in through faulty flashing on the roof, shingles damaged from a past storm, or cracks in your foundation, the property owner needs to know what their insurance policy covers and what it doesn’t.
What is Covered
The majority of property owners lack the general knowledge of their insurance policy to know what perils are covered and when. The way the water enters the home and how long it has been entering the home can drastically affect what is covered. Water that comes in through a roof damaged by wind may be a covered loss while rainwater that enters the home due to a poorly maintained roof and gutters is usually not.
When to File a Claim
When your property sustains a loss due to storm water, it is important to act immediately. The majority of the time, your insurance agent should be able to advise you if the loss is a covered loss but occasionally it will require further inspection from the adjuster. As soon as you have notified your insurance agent, it’s time to get a qualified water mitigation contractor to come and assess the damage. The sooner the loss is assessed and the mitigation begins the better the outcome should be. The crucial hours after a loss occurs are critical in potentially saving thousands of dollars, days of the process, and even the ability to keep certain irreplaceable belongings.
Knowing when to file a claim and when to pay for a loss out of pocket can potentially save you tens of thousand over the life of the policy. When a claim is filed, whether the loss is covered or not, the claim is recorded against you and will stay on your claims record up to seven years and may can affect your premium. Depending on the severity of the loss, many losses can be mitigated for less than the policy deductible. If you are on the fence about whether or not a loss is big enough to file a claim, its important to consult a qualified mitigation company. Call STOP Restoration at 336-829-5345 and we’ll be happy to help you make the call.
