Ways To Increase The Chance Of Your Theft Insurance Claim Being Accepted

Posted September 2, 2014

When a person must submit an insurance claim, he or she does so with the obvious objective of getting an appropriate settlement for a loss. A number of tactics should be employed to ensure that an insurance claim is accepted and to ensure that an appropriate payment or settlement is received from the insurance company.

A Proactive Approach

An important aspect of getting an insurance claim accepted is taking a proactive approach. In other words, there are certain things a person needs to do before a loss is experienced that are crucial to ensuring that a claim is accepted.

A key element to having a claim accepted is being able to prove the underlying loss. This is accomplished in part by being able to provide an insurance claims adjuster with receipts for items of property that are the subjects of a claim. A person needs to think ahead and be sure to keep receipts associated with any significant piece of property in a secure location.

Another proactive strategy is making a video — or at least taking still images — of significant items of property (when the property is first obtained). In addition, perhaps on an annual basis, additional videos or still images of significant property should also be made to ensure that up to date representations are available.

Meeting Deadlines

A person who needs to make an insurance claim must be well aware of deadlines that exist in an insurance policy. Many people fail to realize that a claim for compensation must be made by a specific point in time following an incident or event that gives rise to damages or a loss. The failure to meet such a deadline can result in an insurance claim being denied for that matter alone.

Post-Loss Imagery

Once a loss occurs (assuming the property is damaged and not stolen or lost), a person needs to make another round of videos or still images. This provides a visual way of documenting loss. Of course, a claims adjuster may come to inspect the loss in person. Nevertheless, an insured’s own images provides support for his or her position if a dispute arises regarding the nature of a loss.

Obtain a Police Report

If a loss results from an incident like a car accident or something along those lines, it is important for an insured person to obtain a police report. Keep in mind that many insurance policies require the filing of a police report when certain types of accidents or events occur.