Should you file a Water Damage claim?

6/1/2021 (Permalink)

As you know, acting quickly when you spot water damage is essential. However, you might be wondering if you should file an insurance claim or pay for the damages yourself.  “It was just a little water,” is a subjective thought. No matter the amount of water, it is always in your best interest to have a professional company assess the property. There are two reasons for this. The first being that you might not always see the extent of damage that has occurred. While you might have mopped up and removed the excess water from your kitchen floors, that doesn’t mean that water hasn’t already traveled underneath your flooring or into other areas such as your cabinets or walls. If those areas are not properly dried and remediated then down the line you might face problems such as mold and rot. If you did not act fast and delayed maintenance and cleanup, then your insurance company might find you to be negligent and there is a risk that the claim will not be covered.  Most insurance policies will cover water damage that is sudden and accidental. In most circumstances, homeowners’ policies exclude losses that are considered to be continuous and took place over an extended period of time. Examples of this include a leaking water line or leaving wet carpet and baseboard unattended to the point of mold or rot.

Before filing a claim, if you are unsure if the damage will exceed your deductible, you will want to ask us to come out and assess the property. Our project managers will be able to consult with you and let you know the best course of action going forward. If you do have to file a claim, then it helps to strengthen your case if the insurance company knows that a SERVPRO professional has already been on site. In the event of a covered loss, insurance adjusters are grateful that SERVPRO is on the scene quickly to prevent further damage. We will also be an advocate for you to ensure that your property is restored to a preloss condition.

What to Know Before Filing a Claim

1. What Perils Are Covered in Your Policy? 

This will be important depending on the source of the loss. If you took the less expensive policy you may not have sewer backup as a rider on your policy and may not be covered in that case. So, knowing what is and is not covered is important. If you are not aware of the source of the loss, there is no need to fret. SERVPRO of Tacoma professional technicians have state of the art technology and training to determine the cause of a loss.

2. What is Your Deductible? 

It is practical that you may not want to file a claim if the cost of mitigation and restoration is less than double your deductible.  Insurance is there to protect you from major losses and your deductible represents the amount of risk you’re willing to take. We will work with you to treat the damage whether you chose to go through insurance or not. Our commitment is to ensure that this is your only out of pocket expense to return the property to a preloss condition.

This is just another reason to quickly call SERVPRO of Tacoma to handle your water damage. Whether it is covered or not we can help with water damage.

If you find water damage in your home call SERVPRO of Tacoma today (253) 896-3000