You should never rush and begin the repairs before an insurance adjuster visits your property. You should only use temporary fixes such as covering the missing parts of your roof with tarp or boarding your broken windows.
The moment you buy home insurance you think your home is protected and you’ll have the money to repair it should anything bad happen. However, you need to read the policy carefully to see what types of risks are covered and what you need to do when something bad happens to avoid seeing your rightful claim denied. If you live in North Dakota, you should talk to an experienced homeowners insurance claim denial lawyer before negotiating with the insurance company, especially if your house has been badly damaged and you need a lot of money to fix it.
Here are some tips on how to prepare your home insurance claim
Take pictures or videos
If your house was flooded or the fire in the kitchen engulfed most of the ground floor, taking pictures may be the last thing on your mind. However, if you’re in no immediate danger make sure to take pictures or film the extent of the damages. If neighbors or bystanders have footage of the event, ask them to send you a copy to be used as evidence when you submit your claim.
Notify your insurer immediately
Most policies include the requirement that you notify the insurer within 24 hours of the loss-causing event. Failure to do so may result in having your claim denied.
Preserve evidence
You should never rush and begin the repairs before an insurance adjuster visits your property. You should only use temporary fixes such as covering the missing parts of your roof with tarp or boarding your broken windows. Also, do not throw away damaged items. Leave the soggy carpets, moldy furniture and broken appliances in place until the adjusters come to inspect the damages.
Don’t accept the insurer’s first offer
You should never accept the first offer the insurer makes. Chances are they’re trying to get away with just a fraction of the damages you’re entitled to. Talk to a good homeowners insurance claims lawyer in Fargo and have them assist you in the negotiations.
Get an independent adjuster
If the damages are considerable, you should not rely on what the adjuster sent by the company says, as they will be obviously biased. Hire an independent adjuster to get a second opinion or, better yet, ask your lawyer to send in a reputable expert.
Get legal assistance
The insurance company will use any pretext to deny your claim or minimize the value or your damages. To avoid such unpleasant situations, get a skilled lawyer to help you with filing in the forms and collecting the required evidence so the insurer will have no grounds to deny or delay your claim.
Also, having a lawyer by your side acts as a deterrent. If your insurer hears you hired a lawyer they’ll think twice before trying to mess with you.
In some cases, insurers go as far as to warn you against hiring a lawyer. Don’t let them scare you. This is just an intimidation technique. If anything, such a warning should send you running to find a lawyer as you can be sure they are trying to get out of their legal obligation to cover your damages. If you don’t have a lawyer watching over your shoulder, you’re an easy prey.
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