5 Do's & 5 Don'ts When Making an Insurance Claim

You are a miracle. You have been insured for years and never had a claim. Insurance companies love you because you have never caused them a dollar in revenue. But circumstances change and you can no longer avoid the claim process. You've been rear-ended, your house has flooded and you hurt your back at work. Claims must be made. Insurance companies must be called. You will be required to jump through hoops and complete paperwork to get the benefits to which you are entitled after years of paying premiums. Follow the tips below to maximize your success:

5 Do’s 

1.  Do request and secure a certified copy of your insurance policy;

2.  Do make a prompt or timely claim with your carrier;

3.  Do produce the documents the insurer request to support your claim;

4.  Do be straightforward and honest in your dealings with your insurance company; and 

5. Do file a police or incident report if your policy requires it;

Now that you have done the right things to get your claim(s) underway, you will have to watch out for mistakes that cause your payment to be delayed or worse, denied. We all want to be covered at the maximum rate available under the policy. However, there is a fine line between being proactive and "pushy". Take a look at the tips below to keep you claim moving in a positive direction.

5 Don’ts

1. Don’t be “pushy” for settlement; 

2. Don’t stonewall or hide facts that are necessary for the investigation of your claim;

3. Don’t pad your claim with items that were not stolen or damaged; 

4. Don’t exaggerate or overstate your loss or injury in your statement to your insurance company; and 

5. Don’t fake documentation you cannot locate or do not have.