Filling out a damage assessment form (also known as แบบประเมินความเสียหาย) right after flooding, natural disasters, and similar incidents may not seem ideal, but it’s key to filing a claim and ensuring you get paid the right amount. Following a disaster, there are some things you must do or avoid so as not to nullify your claim, resulting in zero compensation. No one wants this to happen. Ever.
Document Everything
After you’ve assessed the situation and ensured it’s safe to move around the damaged site, it’s time to collect visible evidence of the damage.
- Write accurate and detailed information of the property damage, from the time and place, right down to what happened and who’s involved.
- Take pictures and videos of every affected area, equipment, and other insured items. Get images or footage from different angles for clarity and include timestamps and location where possible.
- Create a list of everything damaged or lost, including the cost or value of each item and any useful descriptions.
- If third parties are involved or liable for said damage, collect their contact and insurance details.
Report Your Claim ASAP
Timely reporting is what you must do to increase your chances of receiving the correct compensation.
- It’s important to notify the insurer immediately or within 24 hours of when the damage occurred.
- Prompt reporting can spell the difference between effective and ineffective claims, which is why quick damage assessment is ideal. It’s also crucial that you get contractor quotes for repairs and replacement within the 24-hour timeframe.
- Use the right terms when reporting a claim. Don’t describe a simple water damage as flood damage, for example, to prevent nullifying your coverage.
- Ask your insurer for any information regarding damage mitigation. You don’t want to cover up any deductible problems while complying with safety protocols following a disaster.
- Prepare supporting documents that will strengthen your insurance claim.
- Make sure your policy documents are complete and clearly list in detail the terms and limitations of your insurance.
- Keep receipts of all payments made in case there’s a question of whether your policy is in effect or not due to missed payments. Do the same for all forms of communication you might have with the insurance company.
- As already mentioned, an inventory of everything damaged or lost can further help your claim or even speed up the process.
Partner with the Right Professionals
Working with a personal injury lawyer can help maximise settlement, which pretty much explains why professional assistance from insurance experts or loss adjusters matters.
In making a claim, you might need to work with different professionals:
- A loss adjuster serves as the middleman between you and the insurance company, investigating the extent of the damage and reporting to the insurer.
- An insurance broker will be the one to check the specifics of your policy.
- A claims manager will help with the claims process, helping you achieve the best resolution minus the drama.
- An attorney will prove helpful if you’re faced with complicated insurance rules. The more you understand your rights, the better you can protect your interests.
Understand the Insurance Payout
With all the current expenses you have, including Specific Business Tax, you wouldn’t want the additional burden of repair and replacement costs. It’s important that you get the maximum payout. But what makes a good payout?
- Based on the damage and terms of your policy, a settlement offer should cover all costs of repairs and replacement of damaged or lost items. But in cases where plenty of claims are made, there might be adjustments to your payout.
- Make sure to review the offer and negotiate if the payout is insufficient or if you think there are disputes. In this situation, working with a lawyer familiar with or specialising in property claims is helpful.
Once you’ve accepted the offer and finalised the claim, property restoration can happen. Remember to record all the work done and the corresponding expenses for documentation. Should disputes arise, you have supporting documents to present.
If you need quick and reliable property damage assessment services following a disaster, Belfor is the company to call.