Key Takeaways
- Property damage can happen anytime — storms, ice dams, flooding, fallen trees, and other disasters can cause both visible and hidden damage.
- Timing is critical in the insurance claim process. Many policies have strict deadlines — sometimes only days — for reporting a loss, and delays can lead to insurance claim denial.
- Hidden damage worsens over time, such as mold from water damage, warped wood, or compromised electrical systems, making quick action essential.
- First steps after damage should include ensuring safety, documenting everything with photos and videos, and taking immediate measures to prevent further damage (e.g., boarding windows, tarping roofs).
- Hiring Robinhood Adjusters speeds up the process by providing professional damage assessment, thorough documentation, understanding policy deadlines, and managing the claim from start to finish.
- They can also arrange temporary housing and coordinate with trusted contractors to begin repairs promptly.
- Working with a public adjuster shifts the balance of power toward the policyholder, helping meet deadlines, avoid costly mistakes, and potentially secure a faster, fairer settlement.
It could happen at any time, and at any time of year. Ice dams on the roof let water in where it definitely shouldn’t be allowed. A quick summer storm brings flash flooding, and you can suddenly swim in the basement. Maybe you loaned out the roof rake last winter, and a blizzard left enough snow on the roof to damage it in a disturbing way. Wind brings a tree right down on the shed. Mother Nature never takes a vacation. Neither do we.
Once the damage is done, the clock starts ticking in more ways than one. Besides the leaks, broken windows, and structural damage that you can easily see, secondary damage is suddenly on the table. Hidden water can crack walls and floors and set the scene for mold damage. You may not see the damage to your shingles or roof tiles – the leak up there could continue or get even worse. Electrical systems can easily get damaged by water you can’t see.
Your insurance company, too, will be eyeing deadlines and limits that can affect how they try to settle your claim. Taken together, Mother Nature and Father Time may seem to be conspiring against you.
We know how fast things can move after a loss, and how quickly delays can hurt your insurance claim.
Why Timing Is Everything
Your insurance policy will probably have deadlines you will have to meet in order to get compensated for your loss. These deadlines will vary from company to company, but can be as short as a few days or as long as three years. It’s important to be aware of these deadlines to avoid a denial based on timing.
The longer your delay, the greater your chance of them denying your claim.
As time passes without appropriate repairs, the hidden damage can grow and spread. A notable example is unabated water damage leading to as yet unseen mold within the very walls you need to repair. Wet wood can warp, wet wiring can lead to fires.
Time is not on your side right now, and I’m going to tell you how you can fight this and win.
First Steps You Should Take
Now that the Bad Thing has happened, there are a few logical steps you should take.
Most importantly, safety first. Be sure everyone in your location is safe and accounted for. Nobody’s missing? Everybody’s in one piece, perfect.
Next, as they say, “Document, document, document!”
Get your camera out and start taking pictures of everything. Every broken window or beam, that fallen tree, take a video of the waterfall you’d never anticipated to see running down the front stairs. It’s heartbreaking to see your home in such disrepair, but it’s so important to take pictures to protect yourself and your bank account. As it turns out, time really is money.
Next, it’s urgent that you take steps to mitigate further damage to the property. Secure doors and windows, board up holes, tarp over the roof, turn off the water at the main pipe, whatever it takes to stop the damage from getting worse. The longer you wait, the worse it’s going to get. The time to stop it is now.
Since this is the internet, you can even find handy how-to lists that will help you get organized in these initial hours after your event.
And after you’ve done all that? Call or email us.
How We Speed Things Up
Once you’ve given us a call, we’ll spring into action quickly and efficiently. We’ll come out and inspect the damage and start our own process of documenting everything we see, as well as things you can’t always see right away. We know what we’re looking for and know, also, what the insurance company will be looking for.
It’s not just about being able to tell you, ‘calm down, we’ve got this,’ but we do have this. Our experienced public adjuster team knows exactly how to get the process moving along. We’ll go over your insurance policy with you and make sure you’re up to date with any deadlines or stipulations. Since we speak Insurance, we can swiftly move from the documentation process into the claims process with you, and make the whole process that much easier for you.
We can facilitate temporary housing for you if necessary, and work with trusted local contractors to not only help stop the damage but start the process of repairing and rebuilding.
The Difference We Make
So what’s the difference? It’s kind of a big deal, really.
By bringing in Robinhood Adjusters, you’ve just changed the game. You’ve improved the balance of power between you and your insurance company. That’s a good thing.
Not only will you definitely meet your filing deadlines, but your claim could be settled a whole lot faster than if you deal only with the insurance company’s claims adjusters.
While we’re often encouraged to eliminate the middleman, this is one situation in which you do want a good middleman. When you get us on board, we’re that extra bit of insulation between you and the stress of navigating what could be a complicated insurance claim!
With our years of experience and expertise, you now have a workaround for costly filing mistakes, in addition to speeding up the entire process.
What time is it? It’s time to reach out to Robinhood Adjusters and start the clock. You’ll be on the right track in no time.
