A flood is a naturally occurring phenomenon which suddenly submerges a piece of land, which is normally dry, under water. Flooding can happen out of a storm surge due to a hurricane storm, excessive rainfall, water pipes which exploded –and these usually lead in colossal destruction of property and home.
For people who have been caught in a flood, the initial trauma of it is usually preceded with tougher days and weeks for recovery. With major damage to the property, it would take days, and even weeks, after the flood which would typically involve inspecting the damage and putting the bits and pieces back together, and this will also include filing flood damage insurance claims. If matters worsens, and, for instance, you are residing in Los Angeles, and you would want to initiate a lawsuit against your property insurance company, then you could contact a flood damage claim Los Angeles lawyer to assist and guide you with proper steps in filing it.
If your home gets flooded due to environmental famine or climate atrocities, you may be astonished to see just how much harm it would have caused your property. Every piece of precious items like family heirlooms, fancy belongings, as well as all other important items went into tatters in such a short period of time. Possessing a flood insurance policy under such a situation could indeed serve as a glimmer of hope.
Having a flood insurance policy can guarantee that you can file for a flood damage claim and that insurance will be covering the cost of the repair and renovation job. The primary focus is the amount of insurance coverage you are going to receive. If you believe that the recovery amount is not at all what you are entitled to, it would be best then to consult an attorney for insurance claims for flood damage.
Steps in Filing Flood Damage Claim Los Angeles
In LA, making your move concisely and also being cognizant of the insurance filing for flood damage claim Los Angeles processes is of utmost importance. Such steps will be as follows:
Take a look at your insurance policy.
The very first step throughout this process will be to take a look and read your insurance policy very thoroughly to ascertain what should be covered and what is not covered by your policy. In general, flood damage coverage is obtained by private insurers separately and mainly through to the National Flood Insurance Program or NFIP. People in some areas who are much more likely to be damaged by floods were likely required to obtain flood insurance as something of a mortgage condition.
In addition, review your insurance policy to verify your deductible, what processes your insurance provider will require to create a flood damage claim, and also the time constraints for filing a claim. It sometimes requires a relatively short period of time for you to inform your insurance provide and submit a flood damage claim form, so it is best not to delay it. If you are residing in the United States, in Los Angeles, for instance, then the NFIP strongly recommends that you will be able to submit a form of Proof of Loss to your insurance provider within sixty (60) days from the flood for the filing of flood damage claim Los Angeles.
Keep in mind your insurance policy number as well, because when you call your insurance agent you will need this.
Contact your insurance agent or representative as soon as possible.
Immediately contact your insurance agent and inform them that you will be claiming for flood damages. Make sure that you are prepared enough to provide your insurance policy number to your agent so that they can file a flood claim. They will then give you a claim number and assign your flood damage claim to an adjuster who would then contact you to investigate the damages.
Always keep in mind that you are not friends with those insurance representatives and adjusters. You might have had experience in dealing with adjusters as lawyers, or you might have worked in another industry at which you did not have the pleasure of that experience. They may very well be polite and helpful (or not), but they are still working for a company which seeks to generate money, and commonly, they would like to pay as little as possible on your flood damage claim. Be extra cautious when dealing with them and never let them put words in your mouth.
Take photos of the damages done to your property.
Refrain from cleaning the damages on your property. If you commence cleaning your property straightaway after the devastating flood, the havoc done to the property will not be evident. If you need the property to be cleaned, be sure to document all the damages and losses in the form of videos and pictures. Show it to the adjuster once he/she visits you for further claim negotiations, show it in front of the adjuster.
Proof of Loss.
Your entire property will now be thoroughly checked for losses and damages sustained when the adjuster comes to visit you. You will also need to sign a statement of “Proof of Loss” showing that the adjuster has properly evaluated and checked all belongings that were damaged.
Keep track of your flood damage claim.
To make sure that you claim is being processed and is moving on time, a continuous contact with the adjuster is necessary. Delay could be catastrophic for you and your family, so constantly remind the adjuster about that. You also have all the rights to claim bad faith if circumstances dictate. You are now qualified to file a flood damage claim and collect payment out of your insurance company after you have fully completed the above steps. When flooding in your geographical area is perceived disastrous and that a lot of other people are filing their flood damage claims at the same moment, delays in processing your damage claim for flood should be an