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Home insurance provides an extra level of protection should your house be damaged due to a covered incident, but knowing when to file a claim is almost as important as having the coverage. As a general rule of thumb, you’ll want to file a homeowners claim if you meet any of the circumstances outlined below:
The Repair or Replacement Costs Exceed Your Deductible
Similar to auto insurance and other insurance policies, your homeowner’s coverage includes a deductible. Let’s look at an example to understand how it works. Your home is damaged in a severe snowstorm leaving the roof destroyed and significant repairs needed. You get multiple estimates for the repairs ranging from $5,000 to $10,000 and have a deductible of $1,000. Given that the repairs are significantly higher than your deductibles, you should file a claim so you don’t have to pay more out of pocket than necessary.
It’s a Total Loss
If your house becomes inhospitable due to a fire or any other unthinkable disaster and needs to be entirely rebuilt, you’ll want to file a claim.
You Haven’t Filed a Claim in Three or More Years
When determining policy premiums and annual increases, insurance companies consider your claims history. Therefore, the more time that has passed between filing claims, the easier it will be for the claim to be processed and accepted.
Buying a home can be stressful and at Western Trail Insurance in Oshkosh, NE we aim to make our part in that process as painless as possible. Consequently, we’re ready to answer any of your home insurance questions and help find you a policy that exceeds your expectations.