The purpose of homeowners’ insurance is to provide you with a safety net should a disaster happen.
While the process is typically straightforward, there are some common reasons you could receive a denial. Thankfully, you can often avoid them.
Lack of documentation
As the person filing the claim, you must provide sufficient evidence to support it. This means including documentation of the damage. The type of evidence you need will be specific to the claim. However, it is generally a good idea to take photographs and videos and ensure they have a time stamp.
Filing after the deadline
Every insurance policy has a deadline for filing a claim. For homeowners, you typically have between 180 days and one year. To avoid this problem, it is best to file as soon as possible.
Lack of coverage
Homeowners’ insurance policies always have exclusions. This is why it is important for you to know your policy well and ensure you purchase any other coverage you may need. For example, earthquakes and floods typically require separate policies.
Missing payments
As with any other type of insurance, missing your premiums can result in a lapse of coverage, resulting in the insurance company denying your claim.
Lying about the facts
If you falsify any information on your claim and the insurance adjuster finds out during the investigation, you risk an immediate denial. It is in your best interest to be thorough and truthful.
If your insurer denied your claim and you have questions about its validity, you can take legal action to challenge it.
