Filing a Business Insurance Claim

In the case of a disaster, you should contact your insurance agent immediately. Besides the police in the case of a theft or burglary, your insurance agent should be the very first person you contact. The sooner they know about the disaster, the sooner they can begin helping you resolve the issues you will be facing.

Know Your Policy

Before any disaster happens, you should have purchased insurance, and you should know what your policy covers. As the owner of the business, your job is to be knowledgeable about what will happen to you and your employees in the event of a disaster. Having insurance that cannot cover your needs is irresponsible and inexcusable. Your employees are counting on you to protect their interests as well.

Make Temporary Repairs Immediately

Many businesses involved in disasters lose even more money due to their procrastination in making immediate temporary repairs. Looting is common after major disasters, especially those affecting an entire community. Making temporary repairs (boarding windows and doors, adding extra locks) immediately after a disaster can help to protect your business against further losses.

Shop Around

Although you will be in a hurry to begin work repairing your business, you should take time to shop around. You should always get at least two bids for reconstruction and repairs. Finding a quality contractor can be difficult, but you should be able to get good recommendations from your insurance agent or broker; you may also want to talk to other individuals and businesses in the community who have worked with contractors in the past.

Business Interruption Filing

When filing a business interruption policy, you will need to have paperwork showing how much you were making before the disaster and how much you are having to pay extra due to the disaster. Proper paperwork will make this a much easier and faster process. You should always keep two copies of these important documents in separate places, one of which should be a fire resistant box.

Trouble With Claims

If you have any trouble with your claim, discuss your feelings with your insurance agent and/or claims manager. If you continue to experience problems, contact the complaint department, moving on to your state’s Department of Insurance and an attorney and court as a last resort.

info@businessinsurancefinders.com