Water damage
Report the loss within five days; do not hesitate to contest the compensation proposal; keep all the supporting documents allowing you to quantify your losses. An insured expert can assist you in the process.
Water damage is the most common claim in the home of individuals and guaranteed by comprehensive home insurance: insurance companies and mutual treat an average of 800,000 cases of this type per year, for an average cost that rarely exceeds 1,500 euros. Leading causes: poor maintenance of faucets and pipes and neglect, which causes tub overflows or pipe explosions in the spring, after periods of freezing winter. The insurance covers all damages, real estate, and furniture, which result from it. But the policies are very different, and to obtain the best compensation; you still need to know the rules and know-how to be heard.
Black Water Loss
You must be aware of something known as Black Water Loss. The treatment of this type of loss is different and requires special care. Blackwater loss is the result of sewage or some chemical water toxins being released into your home. Simply drying out this kind of moisture is not going to get your property rid of these issues. Life, health, and safety concerns can need to be tackled when cleaning up the black water loss.
Limit damage
First reflex: locate the cause of the disaster, and take the necessary measures to stop it, if possible. "Policyholders too often tend to expect everything from their insurance company. However, certain common-sense measures can considerably limit the consequences of a leak," explains a claim manager in a mutual insurance company. Shut off the water supply, stop a faulty device or plug a leak on a pipe or a roof while waiting for a professional to come by; all these preventive interventions can be carried out without fear.
However, be careful not to overdo it: if you have a plumber moved, check that the costs arising from his intervention will be covered. This is almost always the case, but some companies prefer to send their expert craftsmen whose invoices they pay directly. In all situations, the occupant's agreement from which the water damage originates is mandatory so that intervention takes place at his home. Only firefighters can enter a third party in an emergency, for example, to cut off the water supply in the event of a serious flood.
Act on time
You have a maximum of five days from the occurrence of the water damage to report the loss to your insurer. Doing this will help your water damage adjuster greatly. He will then open a file in your name and ask you to briefly describe the causes and consequences of this damage by phone if you cannot come. If you are the only person involved in the loss, typically when you live in a single-family house, this declaration is enough. On the other hand, if several dwellings are affected, it is necessary to complete an amicable report of water damage with the other injured or responsible third parties.
Know the types of payment
The payment method depends on the amount of the claim, the complexity of the case, and the time envisaged to settle it. First possibility: tele-expertise, more and more used, in particular for water damage which involves few people and of which the amount is small. This is the case, for example, if a simple and controlled leak only caused property damage without significant material losses.
An expert calls you at your home and calculates the amount of damage directly with you. He asks you to describe the nature of the damaged coatings (paint, lacquer, wallpaper, carpet ...), the parts of the parts affected (walls, floor, ceiling) and the material goods to be replaced (wall lamp, bathroom cupboard, carpet ...). He offers you an amount of compensation, which differs depending on whether you will carry out the repair work yourself or involve a company. Never accept this blanket compensation unless you are a building professional and are aware of the cost of future work.
Second scenario: an expert from the insurance company, like a public adjuster, comes to see the damage. Generally, this is when your claim exceeds a thousand euros or involves two or three insurance companies. "When the company assigns us to an individual, it is because the file is more complicated or that the insured requires the passage of an expert". During his visit, he notes the damage, analyses the causes, lists any material losses and decides on emergency measures to be taken, such as, for example, the consolidation of a ceiling, the installation of a dryer or the complete cleaning, by a professional, of a wardrobe affected by humidity.
At the same time, the expert checks that your contract insurance is by your statements. If it finds out that you live in a five-room apartment while you are insured for a three-room apartment, it applies a discount to the overall compensation in proportion to the contributions paid. Be careful to check your contract that you comply with your insurer's standards: some companies consider that a room of more than 30 or 40 m2 counts as two, as do large kitchens, sometimes integrated into the rooms. To live.
Water damage insurance claim representatives
It is not difficult to explain that the effects of water damaging are not understood by most people or even the insurance claim procedure itself. Simply because it can only occur once in a lifetime, that's why you need professionals to help you with this damage. If poorly handled, water can cause serious and costly damage and illness to your home or building. There are different types of water, as well as different levels of damage to be considered.
1. freshwater from a blowpipe, not contaminated.
2. stained water from a washing machine, slightly contaminated.
More info on Water Damage Public Adjuster here.