Water Damage
Water damage insurance claims are the most frequently reported type of property claim. Anyone that has experienced any form of water damage can attest to the vast amount of irreparable damage caused to a home or property by excess water.
Aside from the surface level issues, standing water can create many structural problems that are invisible to the naked eye. This “invisible” damage is often overlooked by insurance claim adjusters whose sole interest is settling your claim as quickly as possible for the lowest amount of money possible. This is why it is absolutely necessary that you hire a public insurance adjuster from PA Public Adjusters whenever you experience water damage.
Since 1998, our claim adjusters have helped people just like you win fast and fair settlements for water damage claims that were underpaid, delayed and even denied. Utilizing state-of-the-art thermal imaging and moisture meters, PA Public Adjusters find water damage your insurance adjuster might have missed. This enables us to accurately estimate the full scope of your damage and ensure the maximum settlement from your insurance company.
I've Experienced Water Damage. What do I do?
If you've experienced water damage, you're not alone. Water damage is the single most common form of property damage in the United States.
Pennsylvania Public Adjusters recommends that you stay calm and do the following:
1. Call the PA Public Adjusters
While it's normal to call a public adjuster only when your insurance company denies, underpays or delays your claim, if you call the PA Public Adjusters FIRST, we can inspect the damage prior to any insurance adjuster and create a point-by-point claim document that your insurance company must refute line by line. Calling us first ensures a maximum payout and a much easier claims process from your insurance company.
2. Begin mitigation of the water damage
Water will continue to create damage after the initial event if the water is not cleaned up. You have no responsibility to rehabilitate or restore any of the damage (in fact, you should ensure that you DO NOT restore any damage), but draining of excess water should be done as soon as possible. Also ensure that whatever caused the initial water damage has been taken care of to the best of your ability. This means simple things like turning off water to a burst pipe, unplugging a malfunctioning appliance or turning off water to an overflowing toilet.
3. Start a claim with your insurance company
While hiring the PA Public Adjusters will ensure that you get the maximum payout from your insurance company, a claim needs to be started before your insurance company will begin their process. During the claim process, the PA Public Adjusters are available for any assistance that you might require.
4. Document ALL damage with photos and video
When you experience water damage, it's vital that you document all of the damage that you can see with either photos or videos. Take pictures of EVERYTHING affected by water and not just your walls, ceilings or floors. This includes any personal property that was damaged by water. Remember that your insurance company can only cover items that it knows were damaged, so all damage should be documented.
5. Request a certified copy of your insurance contract
Most people don't actually hold a copy of their insurance contract. They have a Declarations page which provides brief information about coverage, but not the entire contract. To ensure that you get a maximized payout, PA Public Adjusters will go through your insurance contract line by line and find any covered damage not currently included in the claim.
6. Stay Calm and trust the PA Public Adjusters
We know that water damage can turn your whole life upside down, and that insurance companies go out of their way to underpay water damage claims. Hire the PA Public Adjusters for your water damage claim, and we will handle all of the hard work. We negotiate with your insurance company on your behalf, and we ensure that you will receive the maximum payout offered under your policy.
Water Damage Claim Denied?
We established earlier that water damage claims are often wrongfully denied. An experienced public adjuster can assess if your water damage claim has been wrongfully denied, underpaid or determine the true and full value of the insurance claim.
Get a second opinion if your insurance company has denied your water damage insurance claim due to..."
...a long ongoing leak."
...an unrepaired leak."
...a preventable maintenance issue."
...failure to mitigate damages."
...failure to maintain heat and electricity to a building resulting in burst or broken pipe."
...failure to drain or properly maintain sprinkler system."
...failure to have NFIP coverage for a flood insurance claim."
Typical Causes of Water Damage
- Broken pipes
- Leaky Roofs
- Backup of sewage
- Broken Washing Machine
- Broken Hot Water Tank
- Dishwasher Leaks
- Flood
- Toilet Leak
- If you've experienced any of these, Call the PA Public Adjusters today!