CLAIM
DISPUTE
Key Takeaways
The two most common disputes in property insurance claims are disputes of value and disputes of coverage.
A dispute of value is when the policyholder and insurance carrier do not agree on the estimated value required to address damages to a home or business.
A dispute of coverage is when the insurance company denies or minimizes payment on a claim due to the policy’s exclusions or limitations.
Claim
Investigation
When a claim is filed with the insurance carrier, the carrier will
assign a friendly claim adjuster to correspond with you.
Make no mistake, this is a claim investigation being conducted by
a highly skilled representative.
Carrier adjusters often ask strategic questions under the guise of empathy to obtain information that may later be used to minimize or deny your claim.
Avoiding
Disputes
Understanding your policy
is the most proactive way to avoid insurance claim disputes.
Each policy contract contains definitions and language specific to your coverage. Familiarize yourself with the terminology and covered perils of your insurance policy contract.
In doing so, you will be able to accurately document, and articulate the loss.
Value
Dispute
If you believe your claim was minimized or underpaid, you may request an additional review from your insurance company.
Insurance carriers have a duty to review new information that is sent to them, such as supplemental estimates, and engineer’s reports.
Most property insurance policies contain an appraisal clause available to the policyholder in the event of a claim value dispute.
Coverage
Dispute
If your claim is denied payment due to a coverage issue, you may provide additional information to the insurance carrier for review.
This information will depend on the type of loss you sustained, as well as the reason for the denial.
Your insurance carrier may also request for their attorney to examine you under oath with a court reporter. This can be a daunting experience.
Professional
Help
Each claim is unique, and requires a strategy. Claim dispute resolution is most effective with documentation, expert analysis, and application of the insurance policy from the beginning of a claim.
Claim Guide was formed after a decade of working for the insurance carriers. We now use our experience to level the field, and advocate strictly for home and business owners.
Don’t face the insurance’s adjuster on your own. We don’t get paid unless we win your case.