When Do I Call My Insurance Company to Report Water Damage?

A common misconception among homeowners is that when faced with a basement flood, the first thing they need to do is call their insurance agent. That is not true. Your insurance agent can’t get water out of your basement, and ultimately, that’s the most important first step. Remove the water first and THEN call your insurance company.

We say this a lot when discussing some of the common mistakes homeowners make when dealing with a flood loss, but your home’s health is your responsibility. And ultimately, no one cares more about your home than you do, and that includes your insurance adjuster.

The order of filing the claim is not as important as making sure you stop the water source and get the water out as quickly as possible. While you’ll certainly want to file a claim in a timely manner, you do not need to go through the process of filing a claim before calling for help.
Find the source of the water and make sure it’s stopped. The easiest thing to do is cut off the main water supply to your house.

Call a certified basement flood cleanup company. There are a couple of main accreditations that restoration companies can have. The primary association is IICRC, which offers accreditations for a variety of different trades, such as Water Damage Restoration Technician (WRT), Applied Structural Drying Technician (ASD), and a host of others. Companies and individuals can also become certified through RIA.

It’s important to use a company certified to perform the work properly. Not only do they know how best to remove water from your basement and make sure that it is properly dried, but you’re less likely to deal with any issues/concerns from your adjuster during the claims process. They’ll typically have a list of reputable, certified contractors in the area that deal with water losses, so they’re familiar with their level of service and professionalism.

If your home or business is in North NJ, we’re a company that can, clean, and restore your home from water damage caused by leaks, floods, or broken pipes.

We are here to help, call PDQ today at 973-447-3363 to speak with one of our damage & cleanup restoration experts.

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Dover, NJ

Our team arrived promptly and conducted a comprehensive moisture inspection using infrared cameras and moisture meters to identify the extent of the water intrusion. Once we confirmed the source of the leak, we coordinated repairs to the brick siding...

Parsippany, NJ

Our team arrived promptly and performed a thorough assessment using moisture meters and infrared cameras to detect hidden water damage beneath the tile. Once the source of the leak was identified and repaired, we carefully removed the affected tile a...

Chatham, NJ

Upon arrival, our team conducted a thorough assessment of the affected areas and immediately began water extraction using high-powered pumps and vacuums. The carpet and padding in the finished basement were fully saturated and had to be removed to pr...

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