Simple steps to file a home insurance claim

Home insurance can protect you from you and your house from a wide range of adversities, including the damage caused by natural disasters, riots, and many other factors. So, if you have home insurance, you won’t have to worry about the expenses that might occur if your house gets caught in a fire or has content damage due to theft, burglary, natural calamities such as volcanic eruption, earthquakes, etc. 

How to file a claim for home insurance? 

The process to file a claim varies depending on the insurance company and the type of claim you are filing. However, the basic procedure remains the same for all home insurance claims. –

File an FIR: In case of burglary, arson, vandalism, etc., you must inform the nearest police station and file an FIR for the incident. Take a copy of the report and make sure you have the name of the inspecting officer, as the insurance provider might require it for verification. 

Inform the insurance company: If there is a damage due to natural disaster or implosion, immediately notify your property insurance company. You can do it by visiting their portal or application. Once you log in, you can see a chatbot below. You can connect with the customer via chatbots, or email and phone numbers as provided on the website. While informing them about the incident, you could confirm if the loss incurred is covered under the policy. 

Gather details: Next you should gather the proof of loss or damage to providing them as evidence. This can be a photograph of the broken roof, damage caused by the fire, etc. You can even record a video of the incident as they are easy to inspect and verify. Once you have submitted the evidence, the insurance company will ask you for the approximate loss incurred and details of the damaged equipment. 

Make temporary repairs: If urgent, you can make temporary repairs to prevent any further damage. For example, if the glass window is broken due to burglary or theft, you should repair those minor structures. Also, ensure to save the receipts of the repairs to provide them along with the evidence. Some insurance providers reimburse the expenses that occurred out of your pocket. 

Verify documents: Before submitting the document, call the home insurance provider and ask them what documents you need to produce to file a claim. Once you have submitted the records as per the insurance provider, the insurance company will hand over the claim to the claim department.

Survey: Once the document is verified, the claim department registers your claim and sends a surveyor to inspect and verify your residence to confirm the authenticity of the claim. A surveyor is usually assigned to see if the claim exceeds the limit as defined by the policy document. Once the surveyor visits you, provide them with proper documents and information about the incident. This helps to expedite the procedure. The surveyor then makes a report which is submitted to the property insurance company along with the loss estimate and the cause of loss. 

Fill in the claim form: Once you have submitted the documents, you will be given the claim form, which you will have to fill out and send it back to the insurer along with a certain document (as requested by the insurer).

Claim settlement: Once the claim department receives the claim form, they will promptly start working on it and settle the claim within the given turnaround time. 

What are the documents required to file a home insurance claim?

The document and evidence vary depending on the cause of the damage. While filing a claim, the insurer can ask for the following details –

In case of fire: Below are the documents which an insurance provider will ask for in case of fire –

  • Fire brigade report
  • FIR 
  • Receipt of the minor repairs
  • Cost of reconstructing the damaged residence
  • Original home registration certificate to calculate the value of the property. 
  • Original price receipt of the valuable contents.
  • Any other documents as asked by the surveyor.

In case of theft or burglary: Below are the documents which an insurance provider will ask for in case of theft or burglary –

  • FIR report
  • Original receipt of the stolen item or items
  • Repair or replacement receipts
  • Final report from the police 

What are the things to keep in mind to file a home insurance claim?

Given below are some things you must bear in mind while claiming property insurance

  • Steer clear of the myths that insurance providers will make you go around the office daily. Rather, they are in the business of providing protection from unwanted fiscal issues per the policy terms and conditions.

  • You must take all the necessary steps to prevent the damage. For example – you must have surveillance cameras installed in and out of your house and must have a fire alarm, security alarm, etc.

  • Document the damage and the cause of the damage.

  • Refrain from messing with or displacing things after the incident.

  • Be honest with the insurance company. This is because if they find out you are misleading or fabricating a story, your claim will be denied.

  • Also, decide if making small claims is a wise decision. This is because by not raising claims for every other thing, you can be eligible for a No Claim Discount – which will offer you a discount on the premium at the time of policy renewal.

  • Lastly, property insurance does not cover maintenance. So keep your home maintained and clean to ensure no incident occurs because of your negligence. 

Most homeowners have to file claims for some or other reasons. Filing a claim for home insurance is a huge and delicate process. So, before buying a plan, always check for the insurance provider’s reviews and what people have to say about them. The best way to check for authenticity is to go online and check the customer testimonial section to find out about the claim settlement score and their reputation. 

Disclaimer – The above information is for illustrative purposes only. For more details, please refer to the policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.