COLUMBUS — The Ohio Department of Insurance is encouraging Ohioans to access its resources, including insurance insights and tips, for assistance navigating the recovery process following the recent severe weather and its destructive impact across the state.
As a first step, Ohioans who have experienced damage should contact their insurance agent or company to initiate the claim-filing process, including those with flood insurance.
Damage from water, hail, lightning, wind, and tornadoes is generally covered by standard homeowners and renters insurance policies after certain deductibles are met. A deductible is a total amount paid out of pocket before insurance begins. Insurance protection for flood damage is provided with a separate flood insurance policy purchased through an insurance agent.
Insurance Claim-Filing Tips:
- Immediately Document Losses
- Before removing debris or broken belongings, document your losses to provide to your insurance company. Take photos and/or video. Make a list of the damages and/or damaged items.
- Consider Making Temporary Repairs
- Take reasonable steps to avoid further harm to your home or belongings, but do not put yourself in danger. Consider calling a professional. Your insurer will typically reimburse the cost of these repairs as part of your claim.
- File Claims Immediately
- Contact your agent or your company’s claims hotline immediately. Notifying them is likely required within a certain time frame. Often, insurers send disaster response teams to the impacted area to assist policyholders to assess damage, cut checks, and help start the claims process.
- Provide Complete, Correct Information
- Incorrect or incomplete information will delay the processing of your claim. When reporting your losses, have your insurance information, current contact information, and home inventory on hand. File a claim with both companies if your auto and homeowners policies are with different insurers.
- Keep Copies of Correspondence
- When you communicate with anyone during the claims process, keep copies and records of all correspondence. Write down information about your contacts, including the date, name and title of the person you spoke with, and what was said. Keep a record of your time and expenses.
- Claims Process
- After you file your claim, your insurer will assign a claims adjuster to assess the damage. They will provide documentation of the loss to your insurer to determine your claims settlement. You may receive more than one claims check. The first check will likely be an emergency advance. If there is a mortgage on your home, the payment for structural damage may be payable to you and your mortgage lender. Lenders may put that money into an escrow account and pay for repairs as the work is completed
- Ask Questions
- If you have any questions or concerns, be sure to share them. If there is a dispute, ask the company for the specific language in the policy that is in question. Find out if the disagreement is because you and the insurer interpret your policy differently.
Avoid Contractor Fraud Tips:
- Obtain a list of reputable contractors from your insurance agent or company, the Better Business Bureau, or a specialized consumer organization. Contact multiple contractors and obtain more than one estimate.
- Beware of contractors coming to your home unsolicited, offering to do work, and seeking your insurance information to submit claims on your behalf.
- Do not allow a contractor to inspect your property when you are not home.
- If you give a contractor permission to inspect your property, watch the contractor conduct the inspection.
- Obtain, in writing, the terms and conditions of the project.
- Avoid signing any documentation (including a contract) until you fully review it. Be aware that in some cases, scammers will have consumers sign a document without explaining it is a contract.
- Pay the contractor by check or credit card, rather than in cash, and do not pay in full until all work has been finished.
Ohioans can utilize the Ohio Department of Insurance’s Severe Weather Preparation and Recovery Toolkit as a resource, available at insurance.ohio.gov. The toolkit includes safety tips, property insurance insights, claim-filing guidance, and tips to avoid property repair contractor fraud. For more on flood insurance, visit floodsmart.gov.
Ohioans with insurance questions and concerns can reach Ohio Department of Insurance representatives at 800-686-1526, consumer.services@insurance.ohio.gov, and insurance.ohio.gov.