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Blog Post
How to Get Your Insurance Company to Pay for Water Damage Restoration
Tyler Clayton • Sep 23, 2019
If you’ve had water damage in your home, you know that the last thing you want to have to think about is how much water damage restoration
costs. Understandably, your focus is more on salvaging any of your belongings that can be saved as well as getting back to your regular life as quickly as possible. If you have homeowners’ insurance, there is a good chance that it will cover water damage abatement services. At Enviro Clean, we can work with you and your insurance company to submit the claims properly and attempt to expedite the process. Here is what you need to know about getting your insurance company to cover your water damage.
Read Your Insurance Policy’s Fine Print
With so many different types of homeowners’ insurance, it is not always easy to stay aware of what your policy covers. The best time to comb through the details of your policy is before there is a need for repairs, but if you have already experienced water damage, it’s important to look at your policy now.
Be aware that there are certain events that are simply not going to be covered. These vary depending on the specifics of your plan. One common occurrence to be denied coverage is that of a flood: Unless you have separate flood insurance, it is likely (though not absolutely certain) that your regular home insurance will deny the claim. Another is gradual damage. For example, if your roof has been slowly leaking for six months and now you have extensive damage to the wood in your attic or your ceiling, it might not be covered because it was not a sudden event. Again, the coverage will vary based on your plan, so look it up or call the company to learn about what is and is not covered.
Purchase Riders Now
If you are not in the position of dealing with a water damage issue right now, you have the luxury of being able to purchase a flood insurance rider and/or changing your policy so that it covers additional types of damage. There might be a waiting period, so be sure that you are covered by your current plan up until the new plan takes full effect, if that is an issue. Talk to an insurance broker to learn more about your options when it comes to ensuring that your home is covered for various types of damage.
Work With Your Water Damage Abatement Contractor
Water damage restoration specialists
are adept at working and negotiating with insurance companies on behalf of their clients. As soon as you notice water damage, contact Enviro Clean Abatement Services. We can be to you within an hour in most cases, and we will be able to walk you through the process of negotiating with your homeowners’ insurance company. We know how and when to submit the claims and how to work with your insurance company’s adjuster.
We can also tell you when not to submit a claim. For example, if you do not have flood insurance and your regular homeowners’ policy is not going to cover damage caused by a flood, we can help you avoid submitting a claim that will be denied. This can help you avoid a rise in premiums later. Even if a claim is not paid, submitting one tells the insurance company that there has been an event at your home, which is recorded by the insurance company. Without a claim, there is no record of the event, so in some cases, it makes more sense not to submit a claim when we know that it will not be paid.
Appeal the Decision If Necessary
If you make a claim for water damage and it is denied unfairly, you do have some rights. You can appeal by presenting supporting evidence that the damage falls under what is supposed to be covered by the plan. In some cases, you might need a second opinion. There is also the Arizona Department of Insurance, a government agency that can help you communicate with your insurance company. In addition, there may be consumer advocacy groups that can step in for you and mediate between you and your insurance company.
Follow Up With Any Additional Damage
In a few cases, water damage might leave behind issues that are not apparent during the initial restoration phase. For example, it is possible that mold will become an issue later. In the rare case that this happens after your abatement, be sure to contact your contractor as well as your insurance company as soon as possible. Even if your initial claim was denied, there might be a case for the policy to cover the new damage. There are so many possibilities that it would be impossible to go into all of them in one article, but talk to your Enviro Clean specialist as well as your insurance company if this becomes an issue.
Remember that timing is important when you are submitting (or appealing) a claim. Call your water damage specialist
right away when you notice water damage, and keep all appointments with your insurance adjuster and other specialists called in to look at the damage. It takes some patience, but just keep in mind your goal of restoring your damaged home to its original condition. If you are in Arizona, contact Enviro Clean Abatement Services
and we will respond as quickly as we can.