How to Follow Up on an Insurance Claim
The insurance company may not be actively trying to scam you, but that doesn’t mean you should be satisfied with the way your claim was handled.
If you have reason to believe that your claim was processed improperly, it might be time to follow up and make sure you get the compensation you deserve.
Here are 10 tips on how to follow up an insurance claim in order to protect your hard-earned money.
1) Review your policy
Having a good understanding of your coverage is the first step to making sure you’re getting the money that you deserve.
Read through your policy thoroughly and make sure you understand what it covers. Keep all of your receipts, so that you can provide them as evidence for expenses incurred in connection with your claim.
2) Gather all documentation
Before you start following up with your insurance company, make sure you have all of your documentation together.
The more details and evidence you have, the better. This will make it easier for them to process your claim, provide a quick resolution, and pay out what you deserve. Here are ten tips for getting started with this process:
-Take pictures of everything that’s damaged or broken -Get estimates from contractors or repair people
-Keep receipts for any work done on the property since the incident occurred
-Talk to neighbors who might have seen something if there was damage from a robbery or break in
3) File your claim
File your claim as soon as possible. The sooner you file, the more likely you are to get your full settlement. Make sure you have all of the paperwork in order before filing your claim.
Be prepared with your policy number and any relevant paperwork that might help support your case like receipts or repair estimates. Give yourself enough time for processing, especially if you filed online.
4) Check the status of your claim
The first thing you should do is check the status of your claim. If you don’t have a tracking number, call your agent and ask them to confirm that they filed your claim.
Then, if you still haven’t received any updates, follow up with them via email or phone. Be sure to include your contact information in the event they need clarification on something in order to move forward with the process.
Have patience when you are waiting for an update: It can take weeks for an insurance company to investigate a claim.
It’s important not to lose faith in their process because insurance companies want to ensure their customer service is top notch.
5) Keep records of all correspondence
Documenting your correspondence with the insurance company is key. Keep copies of any emails, letters, and phone conversations in a separate file so that you can refer back to them as needed.
Make sure to keep a log of all dates and times when you contacted them and what was said during those communications. Always remember to follow up on deadlines:
Insurance companies will often set out deadlines for specific aspects of their services. If they haven’t reached out to you by this date, it’s time to give them a call or send another email.
Be clear about deadlines from the start: If you have certain deadlines that need to be met by certain people or organizations, make sure these are clearly laid out in your communication from the start so there are no misunderstandings later on down the line.
6) Stay polite
Don’t be belligerent with the adjuster. If you are, they’ll think you’re a time waster and will not spend as much time evaluating your claim.
Politely request an explanation of why they denied coverage, if they do. Ask what you can do to make them reconsider your claim and try to work something out.
If this doesn’t work, consider taking it up with their supervisors or filing a formal complaint with their insurance commissioner’s office.
7) Be persistent
Insurance companies are not always as forthcoming as we would like them to be. Even when you provide all of the information they ask for, it can take weeks or months before you get your payout.
It’s important that you follow up with your insurer regularly and politely because they may have misplaced your paperwork or forgotten about your claim entirely.
8) escalate if necessary
Make sure you have all your paperwork in order. This includes receipts, proof of purchase, and any other documentation that will prove what happened and how much money is owed.
Stay calm and be polite when communicating with the insurance company representative. Remember that they are people too who are just doing their job, so try not to take anything personally or get defensive about your claim.
9)Know your rights
Know your rights when filing a claim. The first few weeks after filing a claim are crucial, so be sure to follow up with your insurance company regularly by email or phone.
You may also want to keep a record of all correspondence in case you need it later. As time goes on and you haven’t heard anything back, don’t be afraid to keep pushing them for updates.
10) Hire a lawyer
After you have filed a claim, it is important to follow up with your insurance company. If you are following the instructions in your policy, this should be easy.
The first thing that you should do is call and speak with someone at your insurance company about what has happened, what steps you have taken since then, and how they can help.
This may seem like a no-brainer but many people don’t remember to call their insurance company after filing a claim.