CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE INSURANCE CLAIMS

We shall take discussion on the meaning of insurance claims before we delve into the processes involved in filling California wildfire insurance claims.

MEANING OF INSURANCE CLAIMS

Insurance claim means a request from a policyholder to his insurer for the provision of reimbursement or indemnity against the losses covered by the terms of the insurance policy. The filling of an insurance claims comes after the occurrence of the risk or risks as covered by the terms of the insurance policy. Thus, where the incident of insurance happens, you must formally file for the claims with your insurance company. The filling of the claims represents a notice to the insurance company that the event upon which they undertook to indemnify you has occurred and that they should pay you the claims amount as contained on the policy or replace or repairs depending on the terms of the policy or your agreement with the insurance company.

Similarly, medical bills, income replacements, alternative accommodations etc may also constitute part of the claims payable by your insurer. And these reimbursements provide relief in such circumstances.

FILLING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE INSURANCE CLAIMS

Filling an insurance claim in California is not all rosy. This is because insurance companies are businesses built to make profit and as such always look out for the ways to limit the amount of indemnity it pays out to its policyholders. This approach does not start at the point of filling claims but even before you subscribe to the insurance policy. This they do by using vague and confusing languages to prepare the policy terms which you will eventually sign to if you are not diligent enough.

It is therefore necessary you go thorough through the insurance policy and clearly understand same before subscribing or buying the policy. The reason for the carefulness is because we buy insurance policies to provide us coverage in the event of calamities as wildfire and any ploy by the insurers to deny us the fruit of the policy should be unravelled. Having said these, we shall take you through the steps in filling a California wildfire insurance claim.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE INSURANCE CLAIMS FILLING STEPS.

Below are the steps you will take the moment the calamity or the risk for which you are insured happens.

CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY

Whenever you encounter the happening of the peril you are insured against (wildfire), the first important step you have to take is to move to safety and thereafter put a phone call across to your insurance company

CROSS CHECK YOUR HOME INVENTORY

After informing your insurance company of the calamity, the second step you will have to take is to cross-check the inventory of the items in your house and the one which you insured your home and find out which is damaged and which is left. Needless  to say this is the stage to be as thorough as possible as it is the only medium that will enable your insurers to know what to pay for and what not to compensate for.

FILE YOUR CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE INSURANCE CLAIMS.

After informing your insurers about your accident, there is also the need to file your claims. This involves filling the claims forms at your insurer’s office or claims website. However, to this, you will need to prepare all the paperwork you may need in filling for the claims. These documents may include but not limited to;

1. All photographs of the incident and damage to your bike
2. Information from all parties
3. Any and all applicable medical bills
4. The police report
5. Documents in relation to expenses like receipts medical bills, towing bills and other expenses
6. Any other relevant document which your insurers may require.

REVIEWS OF CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE INSURANCE CLAIMS

It is not out of place for your insurance company to review the claims you have made. They will usually send an assessor in the event of an accident or other happenings. They may equally likely visit scene of the incident for the full appraisal of the level of damage or loss. The essence of this step by the insurance company is to determine the value of the damage and how much they will pay you.  It is therefore good for you to sincerely work with such an assessor.

MAKE YOUR OWN RESEARCH.

Not minding that the assessor determines final claim, it is still proper for you to make your independent findings. This research will enable you to find out the monetary value of the damage and others.  Your research may equally extend to knowing your limits and coverage options for insurance policy.

Similarly it is also important at this stage to equally extend your research to contractors who are specialists in fire restorations in order to have quotes from as many of them as possible so as to compare them with what your insurance company wants to pay you as indemnity or the cost of replacing the damaged items or home.

APPROVAL OF CLAIMS

After the review of your claims by the insurance company and it meets the terms and conditions set by the terms of the policy, your insurer will approve the claim. Once your claims are approved, your insurer pays same to you. However, in the event of life insurance claims, your beneficiaries will receive the insurance benefits

RECEIVE YOUR CLAIM.

After the review and approval of your claims by the insurance company, the next step is to receive your claims. And usually, the amount of your payment or indemnity will depend on the terms of your policy and level of coverage. So, this will determine the level of coverage and what you will receive as an indemnity or what your beneficiaries will receive as insurance benefits in the event you have subscribed to life insurance policy.

However, before you receive and close your claim, make sure you have made discovery of all the damages as covered by your policy. This stage may equally require the assistance of some professionals such as contractors, Arborists, insurance Lawyers and fire restoration experts to determine the level of the damage and the costs for replacement. The essence is this is to ensure that you get adequate compensation for the damages.