Filing a homeowner’s insurance claim is stressful enough on its own. You shouldn’t have to worry about being denied coverage, too. But if you talk to any insurance dispute lawyer, you’ll see that it happens all too often.
The primary goal of insurance companies is to make money, but that doesn’t mean that they are going to unreasonably deny you coverage even though you are entitled to it. Many times, low settlements and denied coverage are the result of a lack of information shared between policyholder and insurance companies. If you’ve been denied home coverage or think your coverage amount is too low, here’s what you can do.
Contact Your Insurance
After you receive a home claim denial or a settlement that you think is too low, you should contact your insurance provider or agent. But before you do that, look over the claim that you filed and think about ways that you could improve it. It could be the case that your claim did not provide enough evidence of damage or loss. For example, if you only provided one or two photos of damage to your home that resulted from a storm, your claim might improve if you have more visual documentation to support it.
Before contacting your insurance, take some time to sort through the evidence that supports your claim. Photos, video, receipts, and estimates for repairs are essential to your claim. If you didn’t include them in your initial claim, gather them, and ask your insurance provider whether another review of your claim is possible based on the new evidence.
Consider an Independent Appraisal
If your insurance company agrees to review your new evidence but doesn’t change the offer, or if they refuse to review new evidence, consider talking to an independent appraiser. A second opinion can give you leverage to get your insurance company to change the settlement amount.
Sit Down with an Insurance Dispute Lawyer
Sometimes the above will not resolve your dispute with your insurance provider, but you still have options.
At this point, you should speak to an insurance dispute lawyer to see if your case is worth pursuing. It’s important to seek help as soon as you know that you cannot resolve your dispute on your own. Gather as much evidence as you can as quickly as possible so that you can be prepared to prove your case.
Need Help from an Experienced Insurance Dispute Lawyer?
If you need help with your home insurance dispute but don’t think you have the money to pay for an attorney, we’re here to tell you that you that you can still pursue your case. At Pacin Levine, P.A. we will work with you to make sure you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us now, or chat with us by clicking the chat icon in the bottom right corner of your screen.
