If a hailstorm has severely damaged your home, you expect your insurance to compensate you. Unfortunately, this does not always happen. If you have a denied insurance claim, you are likely frustrated, confused and, frankly, angry. These are all normal emotions to feel, but do not give up hope.
Resist the urge to curse out your insurance agent. Keep reading for some simple steps you can take to get your insurer to pay up for your storm damage.
1. Take pictures and videos
The first step to challenging your denied hailstorm claim is detailed documentation. Technology makes this easy. Simply use your smartphone to take videos and photos of your home and belongings, including:
- Furniture
- Electronics
- Appliances
Back up your visual evidence to the cloud, or email it to yourself to ensure you do not lose it.
2. Document architectural details
Some home insurance policies have exclusions for wear and tear. For example, an insurer might deny a claim if the roof was in poor condition and got damaged in a storm. The insurer would insist the roof did not receive proper maintenance. To combat this, gather records of all maintenance and repairs to show that your roof and other home features, such as windows and siding, were in good shape before the storm hit.
3. Get help
Before you file an appeal for your denied storm damage claim, you may want to get a second opinion on your denial letter. Insurance companies can be intimidating and tricky to deal with alone. Consider hiring an attorney to review the reasoning your insurer gives for denying your claim. Once your attorney looks over the letter, he or she will be able to advise you on what your next steps should be.
It is normal to feel stressed out and hopeless in situations like this, but there is still hope. If you gather sufficient evidence and get legal help, you may get the compensation you need.
