Do you know who to call or make a water damage claim in Central Houston?

A little pre-planning for a water damage event will go a long way if you are faced with that awful situation. Make sure you know what your water damage benefits are. They may not be covered if the damage was from a flood. It’s always good to keep your insurance policy and a set of emergency contact numbers in a safe and accessible waterproofed environment.

• The first thing you want to do is contact your local insurance agent (within the first 24 hours) so they can at least assign a case number to your claim and they may offer some emergency support. If you find yourself in a situation where there they may be bombarded with lots of other calls, then call your insurance companies main office for help. If you must, then leave a message. The important thing to remember is the time of the initial contact. This will help minimize any claim denials from the insurance company.

• At this time, you could contact a water damage restoration company. Most of these professional companies will help you document your damages and help you work with your insurance company.

• Once you have made sure it is safe to enter your home, then documenting your losses is the next thing to do. Taking photos and videos to document the damage caused by water will help the insurance company determine the cause and effect of the water damage.

• You need to protect your belongings from further water damage, but only make temporary repairs until your insurance company comes to inspect your home. They could deny claims if they see some repairs were already made. Some insurance companies will allow repairs before they inspect the damage. If this is the case, make sure to keep all receipts for all materials spent on repairs.

• Make sure you are available at all times for your insurance adjuster to talk about, inspect, make suggestions and tell you what your maximum benefits are.

• See if your insurance policy provides for temporary displacement services. Your home may not be safe to live in while repairs are being made.

When flood damage has impacted your home, there is no reason to wait to contact your insurance company. Call them right away, and then call your water damage restoration specialists at Restoration 1 of Central Houston.