When you make an insurance claim, it is possible to have the insurer tell you your policy does not cover your claim. You may wonder how this can happen. Most often it is because you never reviewed your policy to ensure you had proper coverage.
In some cases, it could be the insurance company trying to get out of a valid claim on the basis that you are unaware of what your policy covers. It is, therefore, beneficial to you to make sure you know your policy well, which requires reviewing it.
Know the coverage
This Old House explains that you want to read through all of the coverage details in your policy. Most importantly, you want to outline what your policy does not cover.
You cannot assume the policy will cover things. Most policies will explicitly exempt certain things from a policy. For example, flooding is often something a general homeowner’s policy will not cover, or your auto insurer may not cover drivers under a certain age.
It is essential that you know the specific things your policy does not cover so that you can get additional coverage if needed. It will also help when you make a claim because you will know if it is worth doing or not.
Ask Questions
If you do not understand anything in the policy, then make sure to ask. You have the right to get clarity on anything in your policy. Your insurance company should be happy to explain details to you. If you notice your insurer seems upset or hesitant to explain things or answer your questions, then you should take this as a warning sign there could be issues in the future if you make a claim.
