Homeowners have a duty to protect their property as much as possible. When the worst does happen, you – thankfully – know that you have reliable homeowners insurance in Nassau County, NY to fall back on. You prepare to file a claim and call your insurer. Then, it goes from bad to worse. Your insurer is unable to file the claim and it gets rejected. It’s a devastating situation that many homeowners have been subject to. There are many reasons why a home insurance claim would be rejected, but here are a few you should know.
Why your home insurance claim could get denied
Wear and tear
Similar to maintaining the quality of the home, homeowners must ensure that the property is kept in good condition and is well maintained. If it isn’t the damage for a claim could end up being your responsibility rather than the insurers. If you neglect the property and then make a claim for a burst water pipe, for example, the insurer may find that the reason the problem occurred was due to the homeowner’s negligence, rather than the pipe being affected by the cold weather. Claims are often rejected where:
- The roof has not been properly upkept, and there are dislodged tiles and cracks in the roof.
- Water damage is caused by bathroom tiling that has not been sealed sufficiently.
- Trees are left to grow without being trimmed, which cause damage to a property’s foundations.
Incorrect coverage
Some homeowners believe that they have more coverage than they actually do. For example, homeowners are often under the impression that their policy will step in to help when there has been a flood. While your standard coverage will cover water damage, it will not cover floods. A separate flood insurance policy is needed for protection.
Read through your coverage carefully and identify any gaps that may need to be filled in with extra cover or separate policies. Your home insurance agent can help you understand what is and is not covered.
Non-disclosure of facts
Unfortunately, it’s the reality that many claims are rejected because the policyholder hasn’t been truthful on their application, either knowingly or unknowingly. Sometimes, homeowners do not disclose their previous claims or alter the home’s information in order to acquire a cheaper policy. This ends up hurting them in the long run when they come to file a claim and it gets rejected by the company when they find out the truth.
Not only does the homeowner not get their claim covered, but they risk having their policy canceled by the insurer. If you are not sure of something when asked on the application, always check with the relevant authorities or boards first. Even if you lie unknowingly on your application, you will not receive help when filing a claim. In short, tell the truth on your home insurance applications (and all applications for that matter!) so that you will not have a claim rejected because of lies on the documents.
Now you know the common reasons as to why a home insurance claim would get rejected, you understand steps you should take. That may mean reviewing your coverage now and correcting any mistakes. It may mean properly looking after your property to reduce signs of wear and tear. The key takeaways are to ensure your home insurance is correct and updated to your needs and to fill in the gaps with coverage so that you have peace of mind you’re covered.
At Northeastern Group Ltd., we work with homeowners in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Florida to find the right coverage that suits their needs and property. Contact us today to get started.
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