Avoid These Mistakes When Hiring A Water Damage Adjuster
At any time, during any day, a natural disaster can occur. In fact, in many parts of the country, they’re inevitable. When bad things happen to commercial buildings, business owners frequently end up filing insurance claims. Hopefully, if water damage is involved, you have the appropriate policy in place.
If either due to a natural disaster, plumbing leak, or some other occurrence, your commercial building has been damaged by water, you will need to file an insurance claim to cover your losses, costs, etc. In the process, a water damage adjuster will assess the damage. One of the most important things to know here is that even though the insurance company will attempt to send their own adjuster, you’re far better off hiring a public adjuster. The latter will have your best interests at heart, while the former will be thinking of only the insurance company.
When it comes time to have an adjuster look at your commercial property, here’s how to avoid the following mistakes.
Failure To Research An Adjuster Can Prove Detrimental To Your Claim
As will be referred to several times here, you’re better off hiring a public adjuster rather than depending on the adjuster sent by an insurance company. That said, however, you shouldn’t go with just anyone. Do some research. It’s easy to research on the Internet these days. Ask them what kind of experience they have in the field and make sure they provide you with references.
Your Claim Could Be Derailed If You Don’t Record the Damage
It’s important not to disturb anything following the damage to your commercial building. Hopefully, you have pictures and videos of the property and its contents before the incident occurred. Now it’s time to take more photos and videos so the damage can be noted/recorded and provided to your insurance company.
Don’t Ignore Your Omissions and Errors Policy
Omissions and errors liability insurance may protect against unnecessary costs due to mistakes made by a claim agent. This policy should be in place where every single damage claim agent is concerned. Before you commit to an agent, they must share this information with you, so ask.
Don’t Rely Solely on The Insurance Company
The insurance company will try to send their own adjuster. You can hire a public adjuster; you don’t have to go with theirs. They’ll also probably recommend contractors for you to use to restore your property. You don’t have to use them either. Finally, the insurance company will likely try to lowball you with their first, initial settlement offer. You do not have to accept it. Keep in mind, however, that you may need a lawyer to pursue it further.
Don’t Have the Wrong Kind of Insurance in Place
Be aware, ahead of time, that there is a big difference between “floods” and generic water damage. If your area is prone to natural disasters, it may behoove you to have specific flood insurance as part of your policy.
General water damage can occur as a result of a roof leak, plumbing leak, etc. A “flood”, however, begins with Mother Nature. Local waters overflow banks, streets, sidewalks, lawns, and enter homes and businesses.
When you file your insurance claim, do not refer to general water damage as a “flood”. This will be particularly important if you don’t have specific flood insurance in place.
Regardless of the Damage – Don’t Make the Mistake Of Relying on Anyone but Stone Claims
Whether your commercial property was damaged by water or something else, the most important things to remember are:
- Time is money (the longer it takes for an adjuster to review your claim, the more money you lose).
- The adjuster the insurance company sends has their best interests at heart – not yours.
- Stone Claims stands ready, 24/7, to efficiently process your commercial property damage insurance adjustment fairly and honestly.
The biggest reason to go with Stone Claims, rather than the adjuster your insurance company sends, is reflected in our motto: Insurance adjusters work for insurance companies. We work for you. We fight for fairness.
Stone Claims is licensed and operates in New Jersey, Nebraska, Mississippi, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Maryland, Louisiana, Georgia, Delaware, Virginia, Texas, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Colorado, and Oklahoma.
For a free claim review, please contact us at 1-800-892-1116. You can email us at office@stoneclaims.com if you like. Or you can use our convenient online form. Fill it out, send it in, and we’ll get back to you.