You may have inadvertently missed some damage when filing an insurance claim for damage to your home and property. This is a common occurrence. Fortunately, Florida law understands this. Residents in this state have up to five years to reopen a home insurance claim.
In addition to missing damage, there are other reasons a claim can be reopened:
- The damage was reimbursed at its actual cost value rather than the replacement cost of items
- A policyholder feels that they are entitled to reimbursement despite the insurance company denying their claim
The Claims Reopening Process
Although it’s a bit of a process to reopen a policyholder’s claim, it is possible to do. It usually starts with a visit from a Florida public adjuster. They will come to your business or home and review all of the documentation you have about your claim. This documentation includes:
- Your policy at the time that the damage occurred
- The estimate you received from your insurance company
- Any records of the repairs that were made
The public adjuster will contact your insurance company if they determine that your claim can be reopened. Next, the adjuster will ask for your house to be re-inspected. The adjuster can create a detailed estimate of the damages if this is not possible. It will then be submitted to your insurance company, who will then carry out their own inspection.
Mediation and Appraisal
All homeowners that want to reopen a property insurance claim will need to enter into the Florida State Sponsored Mediation. The mediation process is meeting between you, an insurance company representative, and mediator. The mediator is there to facilitate understanding between you and your insurance company, not to settle the claim. It is a non-binding process that may not work for all policyholders. It gives you no representation, which would be like representing yourself in court.
The Appraisal process is another potential solution. Policyholders who have claims that are large in dollar value often use this process. An appraisal will require expert knowledge in the evaluation of claims. The insurance company will also hire its own appraiser. The third-party appraisers will review all of the involved documents and discuss damage differences and cost when you reopen a home insurance claim.
Tips to Successfully Reopen a Home Insurance Claim
The first thing is to know what kind of settlement you want. This amount will come from reviewing:
- Your insurance policy
- Receipts
- Other documentation which backs up your claim
The next tip is to be comfortable. Sometimes, this means you need to hire an expert. As you can imagine, walking into a mediation or appraisal alone tends to be intimidating. That’s why hiring either an attorney or a public adjuster can help you feel more comfortable during claims reopening proceedings.
Getting the help you need to make your re-opened claim successful is just one phone call away. We can help you better understand your options and get you the money you deserve. Call Aftermath Adjusters & Consulting today. We can help you reopen a home insurance claim and get you the settlement you deserve.
