Home insurance policies in New York are seen to pay for water damage properties only if the reason is accidental. You can also get insurance if the damage suddenly originates inside your house. So, let’s learn the steps you can follow to file the insurance claim.
Step 1: Identify and stop the source of damage
If water leaks in your property due to a faulty AC vent, burst pipe, or broken water heater, you must immediately find the source and turn it off. This will prevent water damage from extending into the future. You have to stop the supply valve, which is usually located at the meter, but if you cannot do it yourself, you can call a plumber.
Step 2: Go through the policy
If you find water damage in your property after you have turned off the supply, go through the policy. Review it and check what the damages are covered. The areas covered are water overflowing from an appliance, a burst pipe, a frozen pipe inside a heated pipe, and damage resulting from fire extinguishers, or snow or ice in the home.
The types of water damage that are not covered are natural floods, water seepage from the ground, and gradual water harm. Moreover, water destruction that could have been prevented but extended due to maintenance issues, plumbing backup, and frozen pipes in an unheated home are also not covered.
Step 3: Report the damage to the insurer
After you have gone through the policy, you have to report what has happened due to the damage to the insurer and state that there is no way to prevent it; ask them to initiate the water damage restoration insurance claim process and provide supportive documentation in your case. However, you must remember the risk that this type of damage includes.
If the claim is from a property that is over 50 years old, then the homeowner has to replace the plumbing condition to keep their policy after filing the claim. This results in a rate increase at policy renewal. The potential downside is that you have to check the policy, understand the deductible amount, and decide whether it is worth filing a claim in the first place.
Step 4: Take documentation and gather evidence
After you have made the claim, the insurance company will send a plumber to clean up and repair the temporary damage. Before they arrive, you must photograph the source of the event and all the affected belongings.
Step 5: Meet your claim adjuster and obtain a payout
The insurance company will send a claims adjuster to your house, who will assess the harm in person and determine a settlement claim. If you want to get a fair judgment, hire a contractor who would correctly estimate the situation, which you can easily compare with the settlement offer given by the insurance company.
Summing it up
If the insurance is not paying for your claim, you can ask a higher public adjuster, who will oppose the claim and represent your interest in front of the insurance company. They will be able to help you with how to get insurance to pay for water damage and come to a fair negotiation on your behalf.