Call Us: 800.711.9386 Claims: 866.281.2242
Call Us: 800.711.9386 Claims: 866.281.2242
You wake up and find that you’ve got some water damage to your home. The water line disconnected from the fridge, the toilet overflowed, the sprinkler system burst while you were away – whatever it is….it’s a mess. So now what do you do?
Step one…call a plumber….right? Inherently, many of us think the next step is to call a plumber, but most of the time that is not the best first step…
When there is a water damage issue, follow these “best practices” to make sure your situation is addressed correctly.
Sounds simple enough. But many people get so frazzled trying to figure out where the water is coming from that they leave the source of the problem going, which adds more water, and makes things so much worse. Oftentimes you don’t need a plumber to do this. Just close the valve of the main line until the water stops flowing.
Then get out the fans, mops and towels (or worse yet, the sump pump!) and start sopping up all that you can!
REMEMBER: If you must move anything, make sure to take pictures of the situation AS IT IS before you start to clean to prepare for the next step….
Not all water damage is “serious”. Sure, it can be a problem and annoyance, but it doesn’t necessarily require an insurance claim.
Once you have the main line turned off, quickly assess the situation to determine the extent of the leak. Remember, if the issue occurred over a period of time, there may be damage not easily visible. If in doubt, contact your insurance company and file a claim immediately.
If you believe the water damage is minimal, and does not require an insurance claim, then simply jump over step 3 below and move on to 4 and 5.
Many companies offer a direct claims line, so you don’t have to call your insurance agent and wait for someone to get back with you. It’s a good idea to keep your insurance company’s claim number handy (ie, store it in your phone!) for just such an occasion. (And you can keep your policy number in the info field of a contact as well!)
The sooner you get a claim started, the better. Let your insurance company know what’s happened right away. Often your insurer can assist you with contact information of who to call next depending on the severity of the situation.
FINALLY – call a plumber. Have them check out what went wrong in the first place. They can take pictures for your claim and offer a professional report or opinion on the problem. Let the plumber know that a claim has been filed and a water mitigation company has been contacted (if necessary) so that he knows exactly what to do and what paperwork to complete.
Of course, you’re going to want to start moving things out right away and drying things up to reduce the changes of mold damage in addition to your water damage. Just make sure to take pictures of everything for your insurance adjuster before doing so.
You want to be sure everything is dry and any mold has been removed before you start any remodeling. Sure you want to get back into your home as soon as possible, but rushing can lead to future mold problems.
And make sure you are onsite when the adjuster visits your house. If you have a contractor that you’re working with, make sure that person is onsite as well. They can both look at the damage and offer opinions about what it will take to rectify the situation. Together, they can also point out areas that may have damage that cannot be seen yet.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not form a part of, replace, change or amend any terms, conditions, provisions or language within your Olympus Insurance policy. We encourage you to read your entire policy.