When an adjuster who was handling 30 claims in a normal day gets hit with 2,000 claims after a large storm or natural disaster like Hurricane Sandy, how can you get a fast settlement when filing your commercial insurance claim?
It is estimated that 150,000 businesses reported losses in Hurricane Sandy. When there are this many claims, you need to know how to position your claim at the top of the pack. In order to get a quick resolution, you should:
- Make your claim pretty – By making your claim organized, it will appear orderly when compared to the rest of the claims the adjuster is reviewing. By having all your paperwork filled out correctly, pictures of damages included, quotes for repairs, and all of your stuff together and organized, the adjuster will be more likely choose your claim to work on first. By making an adjuster’s job easy, you will succeed in getting a faster settlement.
- Be proactive – This means that you need to report your claim to the insurance agent or company as soon as possible. While most people have already reported their commercial insurance claims after Hurricane Sandy, every day, somewhere in this nation, there is another storm, fire, or natural disaster than occurs and causes business owners and homeowners losses due to property damages. You have to be proactive to get results. Don’t just submit your paperwork and sit back and hope for the best. Call and get your claim number and correct contact number for the right adjuster handling your claim. Also, check back in with the adjuster periodically and try to build a rapport with the adjuster.
- Protect your property – When a storm causes damages to your commercial building—exterior or interior—you need to protect your property from additional damages. In fact, most policies require this in order to prevent further losses. This means that you may need to tarp over your roof and get the scene stabilized because the repairs won’t happen overnight.
- Contact vendors – When many people are in the same boat as you, you will want to contact credible contractors and vendors for repair work as soon as possible. This way you will get in the front of the line for repair work and have repair estimates to show the insurance company and your lender. Beware: many people get taken advantage of by con artists or those taking advantage of the sudden demand and inflating prices for repairs.
An insurance claim litigation attorney can help you make your claim organized and attractive, and a skilled lawyer can negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf to make sure you receive the maximum settlement that is due to you under your policy. For help with your commercial insurance claim, call the Voss Law Firm at 888-614-7730 for a complimentary consultation and a complimentary copy of our book Commercial Property Owners Must Read This BEFORE Filing an Insurance Claim.
