Claims

In the event of damage to your building or contents, follow these steps:

1. Protect the property from further damage (i.e., water, mold, rot). This usually requires hiring a mitigation company such as Belfor, United Property Restoration, The New Crystal Restoration, Service Master, Bowerman, or 1-800-Water Damage.
   • Call the proper authorities and utilities (e.g., plumber, gas, electric, telephone).
   • Take photos of the damage before having emergency repairs made, such as boarding up windows or covering holes in the roof.
2. Call your insurance carrier to report the loss if the damage will exceed your deductible.
3. Call an insurance-experienced contractor to estimate the building damage.
4. Separate damaged contents from undamaged contents. Do not discard any items until the claims adjuster gives you the authority to do so.
5. Keep records of expenses if you are forced to temporarily relocate.
6. Do not authorize repairs until the claims adjuster has given you the authority to do so.

After the claim is reported to the insurance company, the claims adjuster will do the following:

1. Contact you by phone, email, or mail to discuss the loss.
2. Arrange for an appraiser to inspect extensively damaged property, who may create his own repair estimate.
3. Review your contractor’s estimate for insurance approval.
4. Contact you for a settlement.
5. If there is any discrepancy in pricing, please contact us and/or get your contractor to review the insurance company-approved estimate. Have your contractor contact the adjuster to discuss the differences in repair scope/pricing so they can reach an agreed-upon overall repair cost with the insurance company.

In the event of an automobile accident, follow these steps:

1. Report the accident to the police. Take photos at the scene. Gather independent witnesses if necessary to support the loss facts.
2. Obtain information about the other people involved in the accident, such as the following:
   a. Names, addresses, and phone numbers.
   b. Insurance company
   c. Type of vehicle
   d. Auto and driver’s license numbers
3. Have your vehicle towed to the nearest repair shop if the vehicle is not drivable. Do not authorize repairs until the claims adjuster gives you the authority to do so.
4. Call your insurance carrier to report the accident.
5. You can request a rental car reservation with your insurance company if your car is not drivable.

In the event of a windshield, vandalism, or theft loss, follow these steps:

1. Report the vandalism, loss, or theft to the police.
2. Report the claim to the insurance company immediately.

After the claim is reported to the insurance company, the claims adjuster will do the following:

1. Contact you to request details of the accident, repair estimates, and photos.
2. Arrange for an appraiser to inspect the damages of vehicles that are not drivable or extensively damaged.
3. Contact you for a settlement.
4. Deal directly with the others involved in the accident.

You should not talk to others involved in the accident; instead, refer them to your claims adjuster.

In the event an employee is injured on the job, follow these steps:

1. Please complete the Employer First Report of Injury and Illness and submit it to your workers’ compensation carrier. Either use the “call in” reporting phone number, email, or fax the original form to the insurance company.
2. If you are challenging the alleged injury being set forth by an employee, please still report the claim and disclose your concerns for validation to the carrier.
3. Ensure you are assigned a claim number and speak to your claim adjuster for further needs regarding wage and medical payments.
4. Contact the insurance company to question the status of a claim. If you experience delays or have questions, please contact us for assistance.

After you report the claim to the insurance company, the claims adjuster will do the following:

1. Contact the injured employee to discuss the accident.
2. Request copies of bills and doctors’ reports for medical treatment administered.
3. Contact you, the employer, if there is any lost time from work as a result of the injury.

In the event of injuries or damage to the property of others that you allegedly caused, follow these steps:

1. Call your insurance carrier to report the claim.
2. Forward any correspondence, including a summons from an attorney representing the other party.
3. Do not discuss the claim with the other party or their attorney. Refer them to your insurance company’s claims adjuster or to us.
4. If you have questions on which policies to report a liability, attorney letter, or lawsuit, please forward them to our office immediately to assess and advise.

After the claim is reported to the insurance company, the claims adjuster will:

1. Contact you to discuss the incident that allegedly caused the injury or damage to the property.
2. The adjuster may assign an inspection of the property in question.
3. Deal directly with the other party and/or attorney to handle the claim.