Common Signs the Insurance Company is Undervaluing Your Storm Claim Damages

At Storm Claim, our public adjusters know underpayment of an insurance claim is typically more common than a claim being wrongfully denied. However, both are all too common, especially after large storms — like hurricanes or tornadoes — produce significant or total property damage.

Unfortunately for policyholders, insurance companies have discovered that they can save millions of dollars each year by undervaluing claims.

Other times, when there is widespread damage in the area, insurance companies hire adjusters who may be unfamiliar with the geography and total costs associated with your repairs or replacement needs, which can also result in a much lower damage estimate than you were expecting.

Here are a few signs that your property damage claim may not be getting the respect it deserves from your insurance provider.

The Inspection Process was Rushed or Inadequate

If an insurance adjuster has a lot of ground to cover after a storm, he or she may cut corners when assessing your damage. If you feel as though you are the one pointing out every detail, and that the adjuster is simply taking a hands-off approach to assessing your damage, you can almost certainly expect an assessment that does not match your repair or replacement needs.

This is also true if the adjuster does not know what they are looking at, from a damage standpoint. If the insurance adjuster is not from the area and is not aware of all the costs associated with a hot-weather area home, your assessment may come up short.

All Your Damages Are Not Outlined in Their Assessment

An insurance adjuster should provide a detailed assessment of damages to your property, which is then used to calculate the claim’s value.

Even if you have pointed out damage you thought they may have missed, their failure to document it, or failure to outline the damages in their assessment, can leave your damage totals short of your overall recovery needs.

The Insurance Adjuster Tells You the Damage is Not Covered

When the insurance adjuster is on your property, they should assess each piece of property that was impacted by the storm. Now is not the time to tell you an item or area is not covered by your insurance policy. In fact, that information is typically unknown to the adjuster during the inspection process. Do not allow him or her to tell you “that isn’t covered” when you point out damage. If they believe that is true, they must document it in their report and provide the evidence the coverage is missing from your policy.

What Can I Do if I Believe My Storm Claim is Being Undervalued?

First, review your insurance policy to understand what is covered, and to assess the maximum coverage amounts.

Next, ask your insurer how they calculated your claim amount, and compare it to your damage and what the policy covers.

Finally, if you still disagree with their evaluation, hire a public claims adjuster who works independently, and not directly for the insurance company.

If you have paid your insurance premiums in full and on time, and have fulfilled all your duties as a policyholder, you deserve to be compensated when damages occur. We can help.

If your home suffered storm damage, and you believe the insurance company is failing to provide an accurate assessment of those damages, contact our skilled public adjusters at StormClaim.com today to schedule a free consultation and learn how we can produce solutions for your unique recovery needs by calling (844) 967-8676.