Five Types of Property Damage Claims
Posted on Tuesday, February 20th, 2024 at 9:00 am
Insurance can feel like a godsend if your personal property is damaged. Whether you’re filing different types of property damage claims for the repair or replacement of a damaged vehicle with your auto insurance carrier or need to file a claim for the cost of repair for damages caused by a house fire, you may find that the insurance claims process can be overwhelming.
Different insurance policies cover different types of property damage. Can you file a claim for the replacement cost of your real or personal property? It depends on how the property was damaged and the terms of the policy.
Examples of Property Damage Claims
Many common types of property damage have to do with your home, such as:
Freezing Pipes and Water Damage
Ohio and Kentucky winters can get nasty. Burst pipes and the subsequent water damage are unfortunately common. Many homeowners’ insurance policies may cover damage, including structural and personal property damage, but may not pay to fix the pipes themselves, so check your policy closely.
Water damage doesn’t just happen from leaking pipes. Leaky roofs are another major source of property damage to the home. Your homeowner’s policy should cover roof repair after a storm, but many insurance companies may not cover roof repair or replacement if the property owner fails to maintain the roof in good repair.
Hail and Wind Storms
Damaging winter weather doesn’t stop with ice and snow. Hail damage can cause serious problems and lead to water damage from leaks. The high winds that come along with the hailstorms may cause a tree to fall on your house or car. Wind can also damage siding or toss items or debris around, breaking windows.
If your house is damaged from airborne projectiles, like your patio furniture or BBQ grill, your homeowner’s insurance policy may not cover the damage, as the carrier may state that you didn’t do enough to prevent the damage.
Fire
A house fire can be a nightmare, even if it only affects one room of the house. Fire damage claims can be tricky, though. Some policies may cover damage from the flames but not smoke damage or water damage from sprinklers or the fire department’s hoses. You may need an attorney to step in to ensure your claim reflects the correct value for your damaged property.
Theft
Break-ins, robberies, or burglaries are scary. Not only is your property gone, but you probably feel your safety and security were violated. If your car was broken into, your auto policy may cover the replacement cost of the stolen items. Your homeowner’s policy may cover items taken from your home but be wary. High-value items may not be covered if you didn’t specifically list them (and their value) in your policy. An insurance company may try to deny coverage for certain items, claiming that they’re not covered because you didn’t specifically list them.
Car Accident Claims
You may file a car accident claim if you were in a single-vehicle accident or if your car was damaged from a storm or vandalism. Your coverage may cover costs if you’re the only vehicle involved in the wreck.
However, suppose you’re in an accident involving another driver, and you didn’t cause the crash. In that case, their auto insurance policy’s property damage liability should cover the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle.
What Is Considered Property Damage?
Not every type of damage to property is covered by insurance. The validity of property damage claims depends on the manner in which the property was damaged. Insurance can cover personal property, real property, or commercial property, depending on the policy.
If you have a property damage claim, you may have a time limit for filing it. If you miss the deadline, the insurance policy won’t cover it. Check your policy for the deadline for filing claims so you don’t invalidate your policy.
Are You Having Trouble with a Property Damage Claim?
Even though you pay your insurance premiums on time and trust that when something goes wrong, the insurance company will cover it, this doesn’t always happen. Insurance companies are notorious for underpaying claims, hoping you’ll accept the initial settlement offer. It’s also possible that they will deny your claim outright.
If the insurance company has dealt with you in bad faith, you have legal options. The bad faith insurance claims attorneys at Lawrence & Associates help Ohio and Kentucky residents just like you who have been unfairly treated by an insurance company and suffered because their claim was denied. Our team of attorneys offers a free consultation where we can explain your rights and the next steps to take, so call us at (513) 351-5997 today.
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