Will your insurance rates go up if you file a roof damage claim in Fort Smith, AR? It's a frequent concern and a good question to ask. The insurance company may increase your rates, but there are a few factors that affect whether rates go up:
-The type of claim
-The amount of the claim
-History of claims
Some of the claims that affect insurance rates the most are water damage, liability, and vandalism. This doesn't mean that roof damage won't trigger an increase, but if the damage happened because of weather and you can show that you've completed appropriate maintenance steps, you may not see an increase.
Contact Your Insurance Agent
In addition to asking about your insurance rates, you should also take steps to protect your claim. For example, you should not begin any repairs without contacting your insurance provider first. As soon as possible, contact your agent with the following information:
-A description of the damage
-The extent of the damage (as far as you can tell without climbing onto the roof)
-The cause of the damage
While talking to the agent, ask whether the damage is covered under your policy and whether you can hire a roofing company. It's also a good idea to ask at this point if you should expect a policy surge. You'll need to gather as much documentation as possible to record the damage. Take pictures of the roof and the source of the damage before any temporary or permanent repairs are done.
Complete and File Paperwork
Your insurance company will send you the paperwork you need to begin the claim process. Make and keep copies of every document that pertains to your case. This includes keeping copies of the photographs you took, any receipts for repairs completed by repair and restoration professionals, and receipts from any related hotel stay. It's important that repairs aren't started before your claim is approved.
Know When To Appeal
If you aren't satisfied with the results of your claim or if you're worried about a jump in your insurance rates, you could hire a public adjuster to review the case, assess the damage, and provide a report on your behalf to the insurance company. Use this report to file an appeal.
