Your homeowners insurance policy includes information on the procedure you should follow if you experience a loss. In most cases, your specific insurance policy, not state law, will determine how long you have to submit a claim.
Some homeowners insurance policies include explicit time limits to file a claim, which may be anywhere from 30 days to a year, while others have vague language and don’t provide a specific timeframe. Your policy may have multiple deadlines that you will have to meet. For example, you may have a limited window of opportunity to notify the company of a loss, then you may have to submit documentation by specific deadlines.
If your property is damaged by a covered peril, you should get in touch with your insurance company as soon as possible to preserve your rights. Under some circumstances, your insurer may forgive a delay in filing a claim, but you will need to have a compelling reason.
If You Wait, Your Insurer May Deny Your Claim
Waiting to file an insurance claim can allow damage to your home to get worse. For example, if your roof is damaged in a storm and you don’t file a claim right away because the damage seems minimal, that can give water an opportunity to leak into your home, damage the building’s structure and your belongings, possibly causing mold.
If you then decide to file a claim, the insurance company may use the delay as a reason to refuse to pay for repairs. Even if you take photos of your home immediately after the storm, an insurance adjuster who comes out several days or weeks later may argue that at least some of the damage occurred because you didn’t file a claim right away. The insurer may deny all or part of your claim on the grounds that you were negligent.
You shouldn’t make full repairs to your house until an insurance adjuster has assessed the damage and given you permission to proceed, but you may have to make temporary repairs to prevent further damage. When you file a claim, an insurance company representative can explain what you should and shouldn’t do.
File a Claim Quickly to Avoid Waiting for Payment
Even if you submit a claim immediately after your home is damaged, the insurance company may not be able to send an adjuster to your property right away. That’s especially true if your area gets hit by a major storm that causes widespread damage and destruction. In that event, it’s in your best interest to start the claims process as soon as possible to minimize any delays you may experience.
