Frequently Asked Questions While Raising a Home Insurance Claim

Questions Related to Property Damage Coverage

Storms, cyclones, and floods are some common natural disasters in India that have hit so badly in the past few years. Despite these disasters, the ratio of home insurance buyers in India is exceptionally less, and people are not aware of the home insurance coverage. Here is a list of questions that you must be familiar with your home insurance policy-

1. Are property damages included in a home insurance policy?

   Your home insurance policy offers a compensation amount to rebuild or repair the home if it is destroyed or damaged by a hurricane, hail, storm, or any other natural disaster. Before purchasing the policy, you must review the terms & conditions of your policy and connect with a home insurance company to know the other details that are not mentioned in your policy documents.

2. Is there a time frame to file a claim?

   Yes, as a homeowner insurance policyholder, you must file claims on time. Not raising claims within the appropriate time limit is one of the common reasons for claim rejection by the insurer.

3. How much amount will be reimbursed under your home insurance policy?

   Your home insurance company calculates the losses in different ways. However, after filling out the claim form, your insurer will assign a survey to visit the site to evaluate the loss or damage, and accordingly, your claims are settled.

4. What the documents are required for a speedy settlement process?

   Here is a list of documents required for a hassle-free claim settlement process-

   1. FIR or fire brigade report
   2. Repairing or replacement bills
   3. Bills or invoices for stolen items
   4. Invoice for reconstruction

Questions Related to Property Damage Claim

The objective of a home insurance policy is to protect your property from unpredicted circumstances. If you are familiar with the property damage coverage, you can ask questions related to the claim process. Here are a few questions that you must ask before filing a claim-

1. How to meet with the surveyor?

   A home insurance surveyor is a designated person who plays a vital role in accepting your insurance claim request. This person will visit your property and estimates the damages to your property so that your home insurance company can decide whether to entertain your claims or not.

2. Do you need to collect the evidence?

   Before the surveyor's visit, you can create a list of all the damaged property. Also, it is advised to take photographs and videos of the place of the event. All these things can be used as documentation while filing a property damage claim.

3. Should you have estimates regarding replacements or repairs?

   Yes, you must get estimate from a contractor about replacement or repair costs. This will help in deciding whether any settlement offers are valid or not.

4. Should you include the other losses?

   A home insurance policy does not cover the entire property. It excludes the cost of the land, pre-existing damages to the home structure & its contents, and property with a kutcha construction. So, choose your coverage wisely and check inclusions of your policy.

5. What happens next once your home insurance claims are settled?

   Once your claims are settled, review the loopholes in your policy coverage and ensure that you are entirely covered.

   Depending on your claim history, your policy premiums are affected. When setting premium rates, your insurer reviews your claim history. If you have raised multiple claims in the past years, your insurer may ask for higher premium rates.

   In case your insurer raises your policy premium rate, you can check home insurance plans offered by other insurers. You can compare various plans at the official website of Policybazaar Insurance Brokers Limited. Here you can compare multiple policies offered by different home insurance companies and choose the one within the budget that gives you adequate coverage.

Final Words

Before raising home insurance claims, confirm the loss covered in your policy. Standard home insurance policy includes property liability cover and protection from disaster or theft. You can also buy add-on covers to enhance your basic policy. Moreover, you must connect with your insurer before filing any claim.