You may not have realized it when you signed a policy with an insurance carrier, but once you do so, you enter a relationship together. And the moment you file a claim your relationship status becomes… complicated. It’s complicated because your goals and incentives are not aligned with each other.
Sure it may sound like the perfect partnership in all the commercials, “they’ve covered that, their hands are the best hands to be in, it’s so easy...”; you’ve heard it all before. But it all becomes less assured once you leave that honeymoon phase. It is blue skies and smooth sailing until your property is damaged and it came time for the insurance carrier to make good on all those promises. Now you are on the rocks and hoping for some guidance through this rough patch.
Simply put, you don’t want your insurance carrier to be dictating all the terms and calling all the shots, that’s not how a healthy relationship works. If you’re ready to advocate for your voice and your needs, we are here to help you do it well. Just knowing what to say and when to say it can be incredibly helpful. Here are some tips to help you know how to communicate with the people who are now responsible for helping you recoup what was lost.
Take time to understand who you are talking to and what their role is
We cover this in more detail in our post on “Claim Insight: Who is involved in a claim?” but the important thing to remember is to ask people what their role/title is in regards to your claim, and if they do not work directly for your insurance company make sure to ask who they report to. When you experience damage to your property you may get calls from unknown contractors, restoration companies, public adjusters, or attorneys. Though these people may be helpful, you are in no way obligated to hire them or even speak with them.
Be precise when laying out the damages
Insurance companies often like to keep things vague and generalized. It allows them to avoid the small details that go into preparing a fair estimate for proper repairs, which saves them money. One way to keep that from happening is to be as precise as possible about what the damages are when you report the claim (or soon after). Tugboat can help you accomplish this proactively with our home inventory process or if you file a claim with our personalized claim support.
Confirm all verbal agreements and appointments via email
After you file a claim it is very common to receive half a dozen or more phone calls in a single day from various people regarding inspections, recorded statements, customer service, etc. Though it may seem a bit redundant, take the time to write down notes from each conversation. If anything was agreed to (inspection time, payment advance, vendor approval, etc.), then summarize it in an email and send it back to the person you spoke with.
The “put it in writing” rule also goes for confirming in person conversations you may have had with your adjuster during their inspection as it is not uncommon for their promises to become less promising once they return to the office. This practice will not only help you stay organized, but also provide you with proof of what was discussed and approved of if there is a legal dispute down the road.
Ask “why?”
Why was your claim denied? Why aren’t they paying to replace all of the cabinets? Why didn’t they approve the estimate your contractor gave you? There are a hundred more questions you might have, ask them all, and insist on detailed answers. The truth is your insurance carrier may not have a good answer, and just by asking “why?” you can change your outcome.
Your insurance provider is obligated to be available and responsive
How long has it been since you last heard from your insurance provider for an update? If it is taking more than a few days (we know even that long can be incredibly frustrating) then do not hesitate to talk to them about it, maybe even with a supervisor. Once the claim has been acknowledged the carrier needs to keep you informed and should be talking with you on a weekly basis, at minimum. Oftentimes just making your dissatisfaction known can get things moving, but you are also able to ask for a new adjuster to be assigned to your claim if you are especially unhappy with the current one.
Like in any relationship going through a rough patch, clear and effective communication can right the ship in times of trouble. You cannot force your insurance provider to be a strong communicator, but you are in control of all of the things laid out above. So take the lead, and if you want some extra help advocating for yourself, download the Tugboat app!