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Bankers Insurance Group

Policyholders: After the Claim

The storm has passed and the sun finally peeks through the clouds ... and the roof and the walls and the doors. Now what?

That's exactly what's going through your client's mind as they gaze over what used to be a place of safety. Now it's a tangled mess of broken glass, tree limbs and soggy carpet. What do they do first?

Here's where the "rubber meets the road." As their trusted agent and guide, they will come to you with broken hearts and broken dreams. Let's work together to help rebuild their lives as quickly and efficiently as we can. After all, that's why they came to us, right?

Once their claim has been submitted, our team of experts will quickly work to provide assistance and assess the damages. An expert claims adjuster will contact the policyholder directly to set up an appointment to see the property. Until that happens, the insured can work to stop any further damages to their property, as well as begin some clean-up operations. Here's a brief guide to what they can and should do after their claim has been filed.

Recovering After a Loss: Policyholder Mitigation Steps

washing machine in flood1. Make a record of the loss.
Use your phone or camera to take still photos of damages. Be sure to capture things such as water lines on the inside and outside of the home, damaged autos, damaged furniture and belongings, and cracks in the walls, floor and ceilings. If you can SAFELY get on the roof, take photos from outside the home as well. Video is another excellent way to archive the damage as soon as it's safe to do so. Be sure to record the date and time of your photos.

2. Do what you can to prevent further damage.
Per your policy, you will need to do what you can to prevent further damage to your premises and the contents inside. This includes, but is not limited to, making temporary repairs to your roof by tarping where damaged and boarding up damaged windows. Keep your receipts to turn in to the claims adjuster for reimbursement. You will also want to make a copy or take a picture of your receipts for your own records.

3. Make a written inventory of everything that was damaged.
Be sure to denote make, model and serial numbers for all appliances, tools and personal electronics (or anything else that uses such identification methods.) Use the rule, "if the adjuster cannot document it, I cannot be reimbursed for it."

4. Keep all damaged items for the adjuster to inspect.
Keep all damaged items until the adjuster has had an opportunity to inspect the property and provide you with further instructions.

5. If you need to remove some items, save materials for the adjuster to examine.
If there is major damage and you need to remove items such as flooring, carpet or drywall, be sure to save some of the materials for the adjuster to examine, such as several tiles, a section of carpet, a cabinet or a section of the wall showing the water line.

6. Remove hazardous items.
Items may be removed from the home's interior if they could cause further hazard to you or damage to your home.

7. You may begin getting estimates for repairs to your home.
Be sure that the company provides you with a written estimate, and that they are fully licensed and insured. Request that their estimates be detailed as to exactly what repairs will be made and the time expected to complete those repairs. You will also want to make sure they guarantee their workmanship.