What are some common issues that may affect my claim?

What are some common issues that may affect my claim?

Video Transcription

Common issues that affect your claim can change over time, because policy language can be amended and modified, and we see trends that may come into policies or leave them. One thing that we’re seeing right now is a lot of policies have language that say in order to have coverage, you have to prove that you have a hole or opening, that allowed the damage to occur, that was caused by covered peril, meaning caused by something covered under your policy. So for an obvious example, if a roof is damaged because a tree comes crashing through it, you have a hole or opening that’s likely caused by a covered peril in your policy. However, it’s not so obvious in many instances, in which case you may need an expert, or somebody to prove that even though you can’t physically see a hole, that the hole was created, for example, maybe by a windstorm, or a hurricane, that you don’t see an obvious rip or tear, but there was enough damage that allowed water to get in and create the damage to your home. So this can definitely be a tricky issue that we’re seeing more commonly now. Other examples are limitations, or exclusions of water or mold damage. A lot of people are getting new policies where water is being excluded completely, and they were never told or advised. It’s very important to talk to your agent, or your insurance company, and understanding the coverage that you’re getting when you get it. You may have a cap of $10,000 on water damage. You may have a cap of $10,000 on mold damage. You need to understand the limits and caps on your policy, because sometimes people think they’re insured for things that they may have no coverage for at all.