Theft and Vandalism: How a Public Adjuster Can Help Your Insurance Claim

Burglars, Vandals, Thieves, Oh My!

It happens every day: home or business owners find that they’ve been hit by criminals who have destroyed, damaged or stolen property. The good news for policyholders is that in spite of the inconvenience and everything else that goes with being a crime victim, they at least have some recourse. However, when this kind of thing happens, it is often difficult to outline and execute an orderly plan of action to deal with such an experience. Sometimes, the emotions and typically chaotic scene can make it almost impossible to organize and respond to such an event effectively. Well, this is exactly the kind of situation in which a public adjuster can be most helpful.

What to do, step by step, to file the best claim

Here are some quick tips to help you file the best property insurance claim should you find yourself victim to theft or vandalism. If your do this stuff in the wrong order, it could cost you thousands of dollars.

1. First things first, LOOK AROUND and decide whether a potentially criminal threat remains. If you are not sure and are not ready to handle that possible threat, make sure that you and others such as family, employees or tenants get to a safe place. As soon as you are sure you are safe, CALL THE POLICE. It’s so simple, but so many people fail to do this after they are convinced the threat is gone. Just remember, the local 9-1-1 dispatcher will send help and can be a source of great advice at a time when you will most likely be upset.
2. Second, DO NOT CLEAN UP THE MESS. Resist the temptation to clean broken glass, tile, sheet rock, or other damaged items. The police will want to see what happened before you clean up, and if there is the chance of investigators getting any sort of useful evidence from the crime scene, you certainly wouldn’t want to destroy that. If wall outlets or fixtures have been ripped out or destroyed, this damage needs to be carefully recorded and documented for your claim before you start fixing anything.  If you feel like you must do something, whip out your cell phone and start taking your own pictures of the scene and what happened. Also, start making a list of missing items if things have been stolen. Doing this will help you document the damage: the pictures will be date and time-stamped and can be used later if you need to prove what happened. Most property insurance policies cover clean up and restoration expense, so why do it yourself? In fact, here are some good reasons to avoid D-I-Y repairs when an insurance claim is involved.
   
3. Third, CONSIDER GETTING A PUBLIC ADJUSTER TO HELP YOU WITH FILING YOUR INSURANCE CLAIM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. It’s very simple: involve your public adjuster early in the process of filing your claim and you maximize the opportunities that public adjuster can serve you and your interests. Involve the public adjuster too late and you may waste time and money.
4. Notify your insurance company. If they tell you they are sending either a company adjuster or an independent adjuster, read this useful information about different types of insurance adjusters.

Follow these simple steps above and you dramatically increase the chances of receiving a fair settlement for your property insurance claim after you’ve been the victim of theft or vandalism.