Know what to do when it comes to your home insurance claim.

While everyone needs insurance, most of us hope never to use it. However, when disaster strikes, it’s a necessity. With all the stress associated with a traumatic event in your life, filing a home insurance claim can be disorienting. Be prepared to deal with a home insurance claim and learn the dos and don’ts of filing. Check out what you need to know so that your claim is quick and painless.

DO:

• Contact your insurance agent. When a disaster happens, it’s important to notify your insurance agency. That way they can assist you with getting your home back in order. Contact your agent first so that if you need to hire a contractor, they can assist you when your file a claim.
• Take lots of pictures. Documentation of the damage is important; that way you can show your claims adjuster exacting what’s been damaged so that you can get it repaired. However, exercise caution and only take pictures if it’s safe to enter your home.
• Remember to consult your home inventory. You should always have an updated home inventory ready to go so that you can review it in the event of an emergency. If it’s been a while since you’ve conducted an inventory, ensure that you do so sooner than later.

DON’T:

• Assign benefits away. When having repairs done to your home, your contractor may ask you to sign away your benefits to them. Hold off on assigning your benefits away. Doing so can affect your ability to collect your benefits if there’s been a problem.
• Discard important documents. Err on the side of caution when it comes to keeping your documents. Don’t throw away any of your receipts or any other types of important paperwork after a disaster. You may find that you need them later.

Learn how to file a home insurance claim so that the process runs smoothly. Contact the professionals at Steve Wilk Insurance Agency for assistance finding the best insurance for your company. Located in Illinois, we serve all your personal and commercial insurance needs.