Home insurance is essential for protecting your property and assets. It can help make disastrous situations easier to handle and protect you from losing all your assets in the event of an emergency. However, it can be frustrating and stressful when your home insurance claim is denied.
There are many reasons why your claim may be denied, such as incomplete information or a breach of policy conditions. But what should you do when this happens? Can you get an appeal? The answer may not be as clear as you might think. Let’s go over some steps to take after a denied home insurance claim.
Understand the Reason for the Denial
Ask your insurance company for an explanation of why your claim was denied (if it wasn’t already stated). Understanding the reason for the denial can help you determine the best course of action. If there is a single, tiny error anywhere on that paperwork, you may be forced to start your claim all over again.
Sometimes insurance claims get denied in the “verification phase.” This phase involves various insurance workers giving opinions on the damage at hand. The problem when it comes to assessing home insurance claims and their damages is that most insurance companies will favor their best interests—not yours!
In this case, your insurance company may send out someone to assess the damage, and this person might try to say that the damages don’t amount to your actual loss or that it didn’t take place at the time you said it did; therefore, it shouldn’t be covered. Going over and understanding specifically why your claim was denied is important for this reason.
Review Your Policy
Next, you should review your insurance policy. Look for any clauses or exclusions that may have caused your claim to be denied. Alternatively, you can also look for areas where your damages are clearly covered. If you do not understand any part of your policy (this is common because policies are often written in confusing legal jargon), contact your insurance company or broker for clarification.
File An Appeal
If you believe your claim was unfairly denied, you may file an appeal with your insurer. Be sure to provide any additional information or evidence to support your claim. Your necessary evidence may include gathering details involving dates, damages, the value of the lost items (ask an independent appraiser for an estimate), witness statements, etc. You may also want to consider hiring a lawyer or public adjuster to help with the appeals process.
If this appeal fails and you believe you are being wrongfully denied or mishandled, the next step may be to contact your State Department of Insurance and file a complaint.
File A Complaint With Your State Insurance Department
If you have exhausted all other options, you may need to file a complaint with your State Insurance Department. When you file a complaint, the department will typically investigate the complaint to determine whether the insurance company has violated any state laws or regulations. They work with the insurance company to resolve complaints and take legal action against them if they are found to have violated state laws or regulations.
All-in-All: Hire a Public Adjuster
You can avoid the time, hassle, and stress of handling the claims procedure on your own by hiring a public adjuster. Here at Fortitude Public Adjusters, we understand the frustrations of home insurance claim denials. Our experts understand how insurance companies value property damage and what loopholes they try to find in your coverage. Our knowledge allows us to see potential problems immediately and appraise the damage correctly, giving the power back to you as the policyholder.
Additionally, when you hire a public adjuster, you are more likely to get 2-3 times more money than you would normally get if you handled the claim yourself. More money and less stress—what could be better than that? If you are looking for help in the insurance claim process and are based in the Wisconsin area, contact Fortitude Public Adjusters today!
