Home insurance is one of the most effective ways to protect your home and the contents that you love. You spend a lot of time in your home, and it’s likely your most important asset. You protect your health and wellbeing by investing in health insurance and you should do the same with your home. In the unlikely event that you find yourself in an unprecedented situation with your home, it’s important to have all of the information required to smooth out the claims process.

While ‘home insurance claim’ might have negative connotations with stress and strain, it really doesn’t have to be like that. At Insuremyhouse.ie, our expert brokers are there to help you every step of the way. We want to eradicate any stress that an accident or incident at your home can cause. While brokers will help you to navigate the situation, there are some handy tips and tricks that you can be aware of to make the entire situation more streamlined.

First things first, how can you avoid a home insurance claim in the first place

Consistently maintaining your property is the key to success when it comes to avoiding a home insurance claim. You’ll get the most out of your home insurance policy by regularly checking your home for dangers. Clean your gutters regularly and have your roof checked once a year, as roof claims are very common in Ireland, especially in winter.

If you know there is a storm coming then take preventative measures. For example, look for loose roof tiles and have them fixed, trim your trees, and secure your yard. There are always actionable measures you can take to just ensure your home is well maintained. If you do experience an unfortunate event, it will benefit you to have your home maintained because then when a loss assessor comes, they won’t reduce your compensation due to lack of maintenance or negligent wear and tear.

What can you have organised to ensure that the claims process runs smoothly?

Have your home insurance policy on hand. As soon as you receive a home insurance policy booklet, you should always make time to sit down and read it. Sometimes items might be forgotten, and you might find that you’re not covered for something you need or vice versa. Having a sound knowledge of what is included in your policy documents is going to make life a lot easier when it comes to a claim and will prevent you missing out an extra you need.

What to do when the unexpected happens?

While those who fail to prepare, prepare to fail, sometimes even our best efforts fail, and we find ourselves with a damaged roof or a badly burst pipe. While it’s a major inconvenience this is what your home insurance is for! Having a proper plan in place for when an incident occurs will help both you and your broker to process your claim efficiently and effectively.

1. Mitigate the damage.

When you notice damage to your home because of weather or water damage for example, it is perfectly acceptable to mitigate the damage. Mitigating the damage might include turning off the water at the mains or putting a large bucket under the hole in your roof.

Mitigating the damage and repairing the damage, however, are two entirely different actions. If you start repairing the damage that was caused to your home, or you bring someone in to repair the damage before speaking and clearing it with your broker, you risk losing all of your compensation. Damage to your home can be stressful, so you don’t want to take any steps or measures to add further strain to the scenario.

1. Write detailed report of the area and take pictures.

While the last thing you might want to do after an incident, is go through the ordeal detail by detail, it’s exactly what you must do. After the damage has been caused, pull up a chair (where it’s safe to do so) and write down everything that happened. Don’t forget dates and times. This will help your insurance company greatly to process the claim.

Take pictures of all the affected areas. When you notice damage to your home it’s important to take pictures. Get pictures of the area from multiple angles and any damage that may drifted from the initial site. By having visuals in line with your report, it will smooth out the claims process for both you and the brokers.

1. Contact your insurance broker ASAP.

When you find yourself in a situation where you think you will have to make a claim on your home insurance, you should contact your broker quickly. They will be able to advise you on the next steps that you need to take, and they will also be able to send a loss assessor to your home in a quick timeframe. Transparency and time are your friends when it comes to these matters. By following all of the key steps, you could receive your compensation quicker than you might have originally anticipated.

1. Fill out your claims forms in a quick fashion.

After gaining access to claims forms, use your pictures and your pre-written notes to help you fill out any and all claims forms from your broker. The sooner you fill out your claims form the sooner the entire process can begin. By accurately and quickly filing out your claims forms, the entire process will be smoothed.

1. Keep the line of communication open with your broker.

While you might have contacted your broker in a swift fashion immediately after the incident in your home occurred, it is pivotal to keep the channels of communication open with your broker throughout.

If there are any aspects of your claims for example that you are finding tricky to navigate, it’s best to consult with your broker. You do not want to risk filling in details incorrectly and then elongating the process because you have to start again. By asking questions when you need help and paying attention to detail, you’re likely to get your claim sorted in a timely manner.

At Insuremyhouse.ie, we are here to help you with all of you home insurance needs, no issue is too big or too small. Reach out to us today so we can provide you will a quote for your home insurance requirements.