Someone has broken into your home. No matter what was taken, you now are faced with a feeling of personal violation. And, you have lost important valuables. When this happens, your home insurance is there to help you. If you have a home insurance policy, and that policy is a good quality, it can help you recover some of the financial loss associated with this type of situation.
How to File a Claim
The first step in filing a home insurance claim is to create a police report. Your insurance company needs to know that the appropriate actions have been taken to ensure any theft is documented. It is then necessary to call the insurer to request help through the process. It does not have to be difficult, but you will need to provide detailed information about what happened and what was stolen.
Proving Ownership Is Important
One of the key steps in the claim process is proving ownership of what you lost. The best way to do this is to be proactive long before the theft occurs. That is, have a home inventory conducted. This will provide an opportunity for the home insurance company to have photos or at least a list of the items you own including a description and a value of that item. For high-end items, having a receipt from the purchase can help to verify your ownership.
How Much You’ll Receive
Once all documentation of the incident is submitted to the insurance agent, the agent will process the claim. Keep in mind that even the best home insurance policies have limits on the amount of coverage they provide. Your policy will list specifically:
What types of items are covered – including personal items, home furnishings, and items belonging to another person
What amount of total coverage you have – the maximum amount the policy will cover for all items lost in one claim
What the per-item limit is – some policies limit how much the policy will cover per item lost
If you have highly valued items, such as high-end electronics or an art collection, be sure to inform the home insurance company of this item at the start of your policy.
With the help of your home insurance agent, you’ll find the process of filing a claim rather easy. And, once you work through the process with an agent you trust, you can rest assured that such a loss can have a positive ending.