Estimate First

7/8/2022 (Permalink)

Make sure you get an estimate first if your house has a small damage

If your home or business ever experiences a water or fire damage its extremely important to get an estimate before you do anything else. The reason for this is to make sure a claim needs to be filed or not. One of the biggest mistakes you can make after a damage is to immediately file an insurance claim without having a restoration professional give you an estimate.

For example, Mrs. Smith had a small water damage in her bathroom. She immediately filed a claim with her insurance company then began the restoration process. The problem with this is that the job was so small the estimate was less then what she paid for her deductible. Had she called a restoration company first and gotten an estimate she would have never had to file a claim. Not only would she have saved money but she would have no record of filing a claim, which will be in her advantage when its time for renewals.

Obviously, there is a time when an estimate isn't necessary on the front end. If you come home from vacation and you entire house is flooded that would be a situation in which you would want to get the work started as soon as possible. The estimate would definitely for exceed the deductible in that situation. Next time you have a minor damage at your home or business make sure you get an estimate before directly filing a claim!