Insurance Claims for Flooring: Step-by-Step

I hope you never have to make an insurance claim on your home. But what if? You certainly need to be prepared.

Our insurance division approached me last week about giving our readers a glance at how things work. What a great idea! An ounce of prevention, right? It’s important to know how to react after the tragedy and what to expect from the claims process.

Relationships
When establishing a relationship with a flooring retailer, people tend to think about selection, service and warranties. But what about when accidents happen or Mother Nature turns ugly? Unfortunately, traumatic situations related to fires, floods, vandalism, soot, smoke, water or sewage happen in homes and businesses and should be a consideration.

If you have to file a claim, it’s important to know your replacement retailer is a qualified and certified provider for the insurance industry. They can take the hassle out of your hands and get your home back to normal in a painless and timely manner.

Right After the Tragedy
These suggestions will speed the insurance claim process along:

1. Contact your insurance carrier right away.
2. Stay clear of any damaged areas. Your safety is of primary concern,
3. Move furniture and valuable items to an unaffected area of your home to prevent further damage. Again, safety is key.
4. Make a list of everything that has been damaged or destroyed for your insurance adjuster. Receipts, credit card statements, canceled checks or owner’s manuals will be very helpful. The more information you can provide, the faster an adjuster can process your claim.
5. Don’t try to clean damaged items. If you don’t have the proper equipment, it can do more harm than good.
6. Save your receipts for any costs that you incur due to your loss (cleaning, water extraction, etc.). Your insurance provider may reimburse you for these expenses.

Replacement
After you’ve spoken with your insurance and they have approved the claim, it’s time for replacement. A good flooring retailer will have professionals who specialize in insurance and restoration claims. They are trained to work with both you, the property owner, and your insurance company, saving time for everyone involved. Typically, the workflow of an insurance and restoration claim works like this:

1. Either you (the policyholder) or your insurance carrier contacts a flooring retailer, giving a brief on the damages that have occurred.
2. You and the flooring retailer meet at the home to inspect damages.
3. After inspection, a scope of work estimate is composed and presented to you and your insurance company.
4. Once the scope of work has been approved, a work authorization is approved and the flooring retailer can begin the process of getting your home back to whole.
5. A 50% deposit is required before work begins. The final 50% is due upon completion of your project. Typically, the homeowner will pay any insurance deductible directly to the flooring retailer.

Renee LeCroy is the Flooring Expert at Don’s Carpet One in Birmingham, AL. For 17 years, she’s been the consumer’s in-store advocate, decoding the flooring industry and offering insider advice. Contact Renee via email.