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Tips when making an insurance claim
Insurance exists to help you through accidents, loss and damage. If you have to make a claim it’s likely you’re already experiencing a lot of stress, so the last thing you want is a drawn-out, complicated process that just makes things worse.
The more straightforward the claims process, the quicker you can be compensated for your loss, damage or injury.
We’ve put together some tips and advice that will help you when making an insurance claim.
Make the claim ASAP after the incident has occurred.
A quick response is more likely to result in a faster payout, so try to make your claim as soon as practical after any incident.
Contact your insurer by phone or by using the forms online.
During a claim your insurance company may need to contact you or send out tradespeople to fix any damage.
Try and be near your phone when possible during this time or check your email frequently.
Delaying repairs to your home or other opportunities to move the claim forward, could extend the length of administration time even further.
Keep all of the documentation and proof.
We know paperwork can be a pain but a paper trail will make it easier for your insurer to process and validate your insurance claim.
Keep receipts for major purchases and records of any damages or incidents you are involved in.
Take pictures of your damaged property as soon as you see it – photos on your smartphone will do.
If you’re overseas, documentation is a must to claim on travel insurance.
If something has been stolen find the nearest police station to file an immediate report. If you’re injured have the medical staff looking after you write a certificate.
For safekeeping keep all of these documents and photographs in a file on your computer, along with any forms you need to fill out for the insurance provider. That way you’ll have easy access to anything should you need it again (You can password protect the file for extra security).
Be prepared to cover the excess.
Even before you need to make a claim, familiarise yourself with your insurer's excess policy. Many providers will have an excess written into contracts, where you agree to pay a small amount of the cost of the damage.
For instance, if your car insurance has a $600.00 excess on repairs, you will need to provide that so your insurer can cover the rest.
Always be aware of how much each excess is on all of your insurance policies and keep that amount handy should you ever need to cover it.
Insurance can be a lot to handle; it’s a journey you shouldn’t go through on your own.
