You receive a letter in the mail from your homeowners insurance company. You excitedly open it – anticipating an offer to resolve your outstanding claim. Instead, you receive a letter denying your claim. How can this be? And what can you do about it?
Why Your Claim May Have Been Denied
There are many reasons why your claim may have been denied. Some of the more common ones include:
- Suspected fraud. The FBI estimates that insurance fraud costs companies more than $40 billion per year[1]. Fraud can be perpetrated by organized crime, service providers who inflate service charges, and individuals who view filing a claim as a money-making opportunity[2]. Even if you do not fall into one of these categories, it is possible that something in the claim made the insurance company suspicious.
- Lack of proper maintenance. Homeowners insurance covers unexpected and sudden events. It does not cover problems that result from normal wear and tear or lack of maintenance. For example, water damage caused by a tree falling on your roof can be covered, water damage from an old roof that is missing shingles is not.
- Insufficient documentation. It is essential to provide photos and videos to support your claim. In addition, it is important to keep the damaged areas as untouched as possible until the insurance company adjuster comes. If the area is cleaned up before they arrive, they may underestimate the level of damage that occurred.
- Missing filing deadlines. Insurance companies have specific timelines that must be followed after a loss occurs. If you file your claim after the deadline, they may deny your claim.
- Excluded events. It could be that your insurance company does not cover the peril that you experienced.
What to do When Your Claim is Denied
- Thoroughly read the claim denial letter to understand why it was denied. Then read your policy to confirm that the information in the denial letter matches the information about your coverage in the policy.
- If after reading the letter and the policy, you still believe your claim is valid, you have two routes that you can pursue:
- Contact a public adjuster, like UCS, to fight for your claim. UCS’ team of experts will visit the site of the loss and gather evidence from the scene to build your case. Our in-house adjusters are highly experienced at successfully presenting appeals to insurance companies and negotiating with them to ensure that you receive the insurance coverage that you deserve.
- If you prefer to handle the situation on your own, your next step is to gather evidence supporting your claim. This includes photos, videos, and estimates from contractors. Use this documentation to file an appeal with the insurance company to persuade them to reconsider their decision. Make sure to meet any appeal deadlines that your insurance company mandates. If you feel like you need guidance or assistance at any point in this process, contact UCS.
When you have damage to your home or business, it can be daunting. Dealing with your insurance company can be incredibly stressful. Do not let your inexperience dealing with the insurance company cost you time and money! Our team at United Claims Specialists is here to provide you with the best service so you get the highest settlement for your claim.
United Claims Specialists has a team of experienced, dedicated, and professional public adjusters who work for you to ensure you receive the settlement you deserve when your property or business has property damage. We work on both residential and commercial claims and will make sure that your loss is handled quickly and properly and that you get the highest settlement possible.
With offices throughout Florida, New York and New Jersey, United Claims Specialists have helped thousands of home and business owners around the country. Contact us today so we can help you.
[1] Insurance Information Institute. Background on: Insurance fraud | III. Accessed June 25, 2021.
[2] Insurance Information Institute. Background on: Insurance fraud | III. Accessed June 25, 2021.
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