If you think you may have to make a homeowner’s insurance claim soon, you may be wondering what will happen once you do. Typically, once your claim is processed, an insurance adjuster will visit your damaged property to begin the process of validating your claim. More than just making sure your claim is truthful, these public adjusters will help your insurer determine how much of the damage they are liable for – and how much of a payout you can expect.
Damage Inspection
The first step to validating your insurance claim will be taking note of the physical damage to your property. Depending on the cause of the damage, they may be able to walk right up on the area that was affected or may have to take photographs and notes from a distance. Either way, they will come to your property in person to begin this process.
Police Documentation Review
In some cases, police reports are filed in the event of property damage. This is true of things like arson, vandalism, or major theft. If there are any police documents that are relevant to your case, it’s important to have them reviewed by the adjuster during their visit.
Witness Interview
Some property damage is part of a crime or may have been a large enough event that there were local witnesses. In the event of house fires, vehicular accidents leading to property damage, and other, similar scenarios, the input of these witnesses is invaluable in determining who was at fault and how much liability the insurance agency should bear.
Dialogue with Property Owners
Of course, one of the most important steps in validating a property owner’s claim is talking to that property owner themselves. Getting their side of the story will help Georgia public adjusters report back accurately to their insurance agency – and help clients get the best possible payout, as a result.
