Insurance Claims Help & ServicesFor Insurance Claim Disputes, Independent Appraiser, Insurance Appraisal Process, and Appraisal Umpire Services!

There are many things that can do damage to your homes like bugs, hail, strong winds, floods, mold, water, and fire. These things can ruin the value of your home and destroy it from the inside out or the outside in. They can cause rotting, warping, bowing, buckling, infestations, and more. You’ll want insurance that will cover many of these things so when your gets damaged by any one of these, you may make repairs and repair the problem. Do not think that just the kitchen and the bathroom can have damages to it. It can happen anywhere in your home like the basement, attic, roof, and many other places.

Bugs like termites and carpet beetles can do lots of damages to wood and to fabrics in your homes. Termites eat wood they cause holes that can literally cause your home to fall apart. Thousands or millions of homes get effect by them every year all over. That’s the reason it’s good to have insurance that will cover termite, carpet beetles, or even rodent damage. Termites and other insects are usually hidden and the damage will be done before you ever even know they are there. Rodents might be heard prior to them getting too bad, but they will chew things like wiring and can cause fires as well as spread germs and disease.

Water can damage a roof eventually especially when it is accompanied by high winds. It will loosen shingles and blow them away. Strong winds can blow off shutters and hurl things into your windows and break them. Heavy rain can cause flooding in your yard and it even gets into the home sometimes. When a home has been flooded, it will often develop mold as well.

When hail is big enough, it can knock a hole in the roof. You can get dents in the wood which can allow water to get in. If the hail comes down hard, it can knock off gutter from the side of your property damaging the wood around it. For those who have a metal roof like on a trailer it can leave pits in it, they may be little dents or very big ones.

Fire is one of the biggest causes of damage to a home. They can happen because of a multitude of causes. Sometimes they might be small and cause only minor damage and sometimes they will destroy the entire home. They might be started by accident, electrical problems, lightening storms, or fireplaces and heaters. Cooking mishaps make the perfect cause of home fires too.

Protecting your home from several things can be overwhelming, but manageable when you do a home inspection each year. A home inspection can help you spots signs of insect or rodent infestation. You might find spots where water is causing damage or something that’s a fire hazard and then repair it before the damage is great. If you have damage to your house and need help from an insurance appraisal umpire to file your insurance damage claim, contact Insurance Claims Group at www.insuranceclaimsgroup.com

It probably will not surprise you to learn that some insurance companies will give customers a hard time when it comes to submitting fire insurance claims. Such actions will usually create a dispute between the parties that can sometimes get ugly. If you want to avoid further frustration you should consider hiring a fire damage appraiser. This professional makes it much harder for the insurance company to refuse to pay up for legitimate damages.

Many may believe that engineers, construction experts, and legal expert witnesses who testify about fire forensics can all serve as damage appraisers for fire claims. However, you should truly consider someone who understands insurance disputes and the insurance appraisal process before jumping the gun and choosing an unqualified person. Your policy has a clause called Appraisal that allows each party to hire an independent appraiser to assess the damages on their behalf. The appraisers then will choose a third party called an umpire. If you fail to hire someone that is an expert in this process you can suffer greatly. Being that the outcome of appraisal is “binding,” on both parties, you may be stuck with a bad ruling if you do not have an experienced appraiser.

Once you have found an expert you need to know what type of appraisal report they provide. A good report will thoroughly delineate all types of damage from the fire including heat damage, smoke damage, and problems with air quality, mold, etc. A good report from an independent appraiser will contain lots of photos that prove your claim and prove the documents, estimates, and costs related to the fire. In a situation where a large amount of contents were lost, it should also include a loss inventory that will jar your memory about forgotten or missing items. In addition, there is a difference in cost between repairing and replacing items and structures, and the independent appraiser will be able to testify to this.

If your fire claim is missing information or contains information that is untrue, it is much more likely to be rejected. It is well worthwhile to pay a one time fee to hire an expert in order to avoid greater loss from rejected claims. It will automatically be assumed that a claim that contains an expert report is more accurate than one which does not. Is it not better to have your claim accepted the first time around?

Using a professional fire damage appraiser makes it much more likely that your fire insurance claims will be accepted from the get go. The insurance company will find it difficult to state that your claim is incomplete or false when a professional has helped you. Hiring a fire damage appraiser can really make things go much easier when it comes to fire insurance claims.

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims

As you may know, with severely high winds, we could end up with lots of damage to our home and increase insurance damage claims. These high winds will send almost anything blowing into almost anything else. It can send your lawn furniture through your windows on your home or even your car windows. It could send trees or tree limbs flying in all directions. These high winds can make it hard for motorists to drive with heavy air flow under their cars and trucks making travel difficult and dangerous. It will likewise make it hard for people to walk in these high winds.

With high winds and all of the tree limbs being blown down, these limbs could land on power lines, causing them to break and send sparks to anything close to them. These sparks could start a fire if they land on your home or even the dry leaves in your yard. These broken tree limbs would most likely come off dry, dead trees and then breaking the power lines will quickly burn as they hit the ground. This fire landing on something else will set that item on fire. If your grass is very dry, it will start to burn and close enough to set your home on fire and increase insurance damage claims.

Hurricanes and tornadoes also have severe high winds and these will cause all kinds of wind damage claims and insurance damage claims. This damage can be for miles in all directions. As these hurricanes and tornadoes don’t have to be right on top of your property to cause wind damage, you might not even be in their direct path, but you will feel the effects of it. If your home is in the direct path of a tornado or hurricane, it could completely destroy your home and send it everywhere. These high winds could send your vehicle into a tree several blocks away. People are surely at risk in addition to they can send you flying too. You might live, but you could be hurt really bad.

High winds that come with storms are many times accompanied by wet weather as well. Rains can become torrential and cause flooding in many instances. When rain is accompanied by high winds, the rain can come down hard and fast causing streams and other waterways to rise quickly. This is when there Is usually flash flood threats. You should keep close track of your television or radio when thunderstorms are expected so you will be ready in the event of flash flooding and the high winds.

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims

To the highest degree all people purchase an insurance policy  – whether it is homeowners insurance or another – without reflecting much about what they are actually purchasing. The most common thing is the premium or the cost one pays. Premium is the biggest cause of the insurance coverage purchase that seems to concern most people. When it comes to other basics of the insurance product people buy, the concerns are usually absent. Many purchasers seem to think that the policy we shop for is the same, no matter which company you buy it from. This attitude is based from a fundamental misunderstanding of what an insurance product is – and how the insurance underground is functioning. It can also cause insurance disputes.

Of course it is of the utmost importance not to pay more for any insurance products than is necessary. However, on occasion we are unaware of the coverage we have with our property until we file a claim. That is when you discover that there was not an efficient amount of coverage available for the loss. Unfortunately, many people find this out after it’s too late. Such large loss claims like fire or flooding can lead to very costly repairs in the tens of thousands and even hundreds of thousands of dollars. Owners of motorcycles, boats or motor-homes can be surprised to learn that neither their homeowners policy nor their auto insurance policy covers them for any damage affiliated with such property.

Non-traditional (or inland marine as some are called) policies is a custom sector of insurance. Such type of insurance deals with property and items that would not traditionally fall under the typical property or automobile insurance policies. Such items include boats, snowmobiles, ATV’s and non commercial watercraft. You will find that your current insurance company does not issue coverage for these types of goods, in this case you should inquire about a specialty insurance company.

Accidents happen, be it in your home, car or even riding our ATV. By making sure you have adequate coverage we can prevent a small accident from causing a financial nightmare. Imagine having a large fire or tornado claim that cost $250,000… and only being covered for $150,000. We encounter such tragic events everyday when we assist families with their insurance disputes. Educating yourself about your policy can protect you from costly situations at a later date.

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims

Oklahomans, who already pay among the highest insurance rates for homeowners insurance, have a couple of reasons to take comfort despite recent hail storms that caused millions of dollars of damage.

A state law prohibits insurance companies from canceling or failing to renew a homeowners policy or raising the premium because the property owner filed a first claim against the policy.

“That first claim you have an opportunity to file without any impact on the policy,” said Marc Young, state assistant insurance commissioner. “That’s why it’s important that you view that policy as an insurance policy for umbrella protection, and not simply as a maintenance policy.”

Insurance companies providing coverage in Oklahoma are prepared for major storm damage claims, Young said.

“In Oklahoma, we also have a very competitive market, particularly on the property and casualty side,” he said. That provides Oklahomans with an opportunity to shop around if an insurance provider does raise rates.

The Sunday hailstorm potentially could produce greater insured losses than last week’s tornadoes because much of the hail damage was in heavily urban areas, Young said.

Jerry Johns, president of Southwest Insurance Information Service, estimated last week’s tornadoes will amount to “tens of millions of dollars” in insured losses.

Insurance companies typically set rates by evaluating losses over a period of several years. Oklahoma’s turbulent weather is the major reason its residents already pay among the highest homeowners rates in the nation.

“We might see modest increases. It’s dependent upon the company and their exposure in these recent events,” Young said. “They do price for these events over a three- to five-year period of time so I don’t anticipate any disruption at all to the Oklahoma insurance market.”

Oklahomans in 2007 paid the fifth-highest rates for homeowners and renters insurance, according to a survey by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The average premium for homeowners insurance paid in Oklahoma was $1,054; nationally, the average premium was $822.

Johns said while each individual company will determine, based on its losses over time, whether to raise rates, Oklahomans will continue to pay more than most.

“Oklahoma is subject to just about every weather-related disaster known to man,” Johns said, “including earthquakes.

“It’s a state that has and probably will continue to be ravaged by severe weather.”

If you have suffered hail damage from hail stroms, tornado damage or any other weather damage insurance claims in Oklahoma, (OK) and need help with your insurance claim or to dispute your insurance companys estimate, please contact Joe Brennan at the numbers below.

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims

What damages can a tornado cause to policyholders?

Based from Wikipedia, a tornado is “a violently rotating column of air, in contact with the ground, either pendant from acumuliform cloud or underneath a cumuliform cloud, and often (but not always) visible as a funnel cloud. The word “Tornado” comes from the Latin word tonare meaning “to thunder”. Tornadoes are commonly known as twister for many.

When hot air and cold air are mixed, the clouds grow larger and larger. Finally, a thunderstorm is brewed up with a strong updraft. The moisture in the warm air rises and condenses into large clouds which form different kinds of tornadoes. Most tornadoes take on the appearance of a narrow funnel, a few hundred yards (meters) across, with a small cloud of debris near the ground. Tornadoes may be obscured completely by rain or dust. These tornadoes are especially dangerous, as even experienced meteorologists might not spot them. Tornadoes can appear in many shapes and sizes.

Tornadoes are known to be one of the most unpredictable forces of nature and the only warning you might get is the dark clouds you see coming your way. Tornadoes can bring devastations which can bring burdens to many people. It can destroy building and anything in its path, bring death, flooding, hail damage, wind damage that can reach to almost 140 mph and lastly, tornadoes can also cause fire.

There are also instances wherein, not only people and building get destroyed. But also, it gives bad effects in our own surroundings. Many trees can to be uprooted and killed. Thus, this contributes to global warming as the trees take in carbon and dioxide and gives out oxygen during photosynthesis. The ecosystem will become imbalanced as the animal population would most likely be wiped out. Dirt and debris from the damaged and collapsed infrastructures and buildings will circulate in the environment, resulting in pollution.

Many would say that areas near rivers, lakes, and mountains are safe from tornadoes. Myths like this are basically not true. No place is safe from tornadoes. In the late 1980′s, a tornado swept through Yellowstone National Park leaving a path of destruction up and down a 10,000 ft. mountain. One would also say that windows should be opened before a tornado approaches to equalize pressure and minimize damage. But actually, opening windows allows damaging winds to enter the structure. Leave the windows alone; instead, immediately go to a safe place.

Each year, many people are killed or seriously injured by tornadoes despite advance warning. Some did not hear the warning while others received the warning but did not believe a tornado would actually affect them. Being prepared could save your life in the event a tornado threatens your area. After you have received the warning or observed threatening skies, YOU must make the decision to seek shelter before the storm arrives. It could be the most important decision you will ever make.

If you need help with a tornado damage claim or tornado damage claim help, visit the websites listed below or call us at the number below.

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims

Everyone Should Consider Flood Insurance!

Flooding can occur near rivers, when flow exceeds the capacity of the river channel, particularly at bends or meanders.  The type of land that is prone to flooding are broad and flat usually situated on the banks of a river or main waterway. Rivers that flood are regarded in three different stages. Water comes off the mountains, eroding the beds and banks of the river as it flows. This type river travels through broad valleys which slows the current of the river down. If the current is slow it will transport less material down the river. Little if not any erosion takes place most of the material that is carried in the current is suspended and deposited to the form a flood plain.

Floods often cause damage to homes and businesses if they are placed in natural flood plains of rivers. While flood damage can be virtually eliminated by moving away from rivers and other bodies of water, since time out of mind, people have lived and worked by the water to seek sustenance and capitalize on the gains of cheap and easy travel and commerce by being near water. That humans continue to inhabit areas threatened by flood damage is evidence that the perceived value of living near the water exceeds the cost of repeated periodic flooding.

The word “flood” comes from the Old English flood, a word common to Germanic languages (compare German Flut, Dutch vloed from the same root as is seen in flow, float; also compare with Latin fluctus, flumen). Deluge myths are mythical stories of a great flood sent by a deity or deities to destroy civilization as an act of divine retribution, and are featured in the mythology of many cultures.

What causes floods?

Flooded areas of land usually start off as very dry land. Floods are caused by heavy rains that pour too much water into rivers and other waterways, making these natural channels unable to carry all the water. Rising water flows over or breaks the banks to the waterways causing the surrounding land to be flooded. Different causes of floods can come from masses of snow melting of tidal waves.

What do Flood insurance companies give?

Insurers in the United States do not provide flood insurance coverage due to the hazard of flood typically being confined to a few areas. As a result, it is an unacceptable risk due to the inability to spread the risk on a wide enough population to absorb the potential catastrophic nature of the hazard. In response to this, the federal government created the National Flood Insurance Program in 1968. Wherein found that 33 percent of U.S. heads of household still hold the false belief that flood damage is covered by a standard homeowner’s policy. FEMA states approximately 50% of low flood zone risk borrowers think they are ineligible and CAN NOT buy flood insurance. Anyone can buy flood insurance as long as their community participates in the NFIP, even renters.
If you are eligible, you must purchase a separate flood insurance policy through an insurance company that participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Flood insurance is available for residents of approximately 19,000 communities nationwide.

Flood insurance actually denotes the specific insurance coverage against property loss from flooding. To determine risk factors for specific properties, insurers will often refer to topographical maps that denote lowlands and floodplains that are susceptible to flooding.

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims

Independent insurance appraisers provide an unbiased evaluation of claim damage based upon what the policy provides. Individuals and businesses purchase insurance policies to protect against monetary losses. In the event of a loss, policyholders submit claims, or requests for payment, seeking compensation for their loss. When a disagreement on the amount the repairs will cost arises; each party can hire an independent appraiser via he insurance appraisal clause.

Their main role is to investigate claims, negotiate settlements, and reach an agreement on the amount of loss. Some even investigate claims by interviewing the claimant and witnesses, consulting police and hospital records, and inspecting property damage to determine how much the company should pay for the loss. They may consult with other professionals, such as accountants, architects, construction workers, engineers, lawyers, and physicians, who can offer a more expert evaluation of a claim. The information gathered—including photographs and statements, either written, or recorded audio or video—is set down in a report that is then used to evaluate the claim.

When is the right time to hire an independent appraiser?

An independent appraiser is not needed until you actually have a dispute. Most of the time an independent appraiser is needed hen serious damages occur from fire, floods, earthquake,tornados, lightning strikes and hail.  If you want an independent opinion or are having problems collecting money on your loss, you can consult with an Independent Insurance Appraiser to determine if you should consider the appraisal process.

If you find your self in this unfortunate situation, Insurance Claims Group, Inc. provides a Free Insurance Claim Review.

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims

Many homeowners really don’t understand how important flood insurance is until it is too late. The most important thing to realize is that even if you are not required per your homeowners insurance policy to carry flood insurance, that dosen’t mean you are immune to flooding and flood damage claims.  The FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) states that 25-30% of flood damage actually takes place in areas that only have low to moderate risk of flooding.  Flood damage repair can cost more than a house is worth.  In order to avoid this tragic loss, consider purchasing flood insurance.

What is your risk
Virtually no home is immune from flood damage claims, but each has it’s own risk.  Some homes on the coast are at high risk with routine hurricanes and floods.  Other homes may be further inland, but dams, lakes, and rivers still provide a big risk.  There is a map available through FEMA that you can check your own risk on.  Still, although these maps are fairly correct and well researched, there is no such thing as a 10)% guarantee that your home will not be damaged by a flood.  There is always that ‘fluke of nature’ that not one person at FEMA can predict, and you will need adequate coverage beforehand.

Get Quotes
Before purchasing flood insurance from your home, you may want to consider getting multiple estimates to get the best coverage and price.  Get a variety of quotes from different providers, because they differ vastly.  Sometimes, one quote may be double the price of another for the same exact location and property.  Find out what the competition is before adding flood coverage onto your homeowners insurance policy.

Purchase the Policy
Once you have found the quote you want to go with, you have two options.  First, is talking to your insurance agent to make the final arrangements.  If you are going with the same company that has your home insurance, that would be the easiest.  You may be able to get  bulk discount, if you have several services there like homeowners and auto insurance.  You could also go with an online vendor.  Online insurance sites are growing in popularity and a great option for good coverage.  That requires filling out a form online and submitting it.  You will be notified if you are approved.  This is a great option for those who want to add flood insurance without having to take time out of your day to meet with an agent.

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims

Home insurance covers a variety of things that can go wrong in a home.  A fire damage claim is one of them, that can cause tragedy by losing personal belongings that are irreplaceable.  When fire damage happens, there is often not just fire damage, but water damage caused by:

1. Fireman’s efforts to put out the fire by using fire hoses
2. Broken water pipes that burst from the high temperatures

Although the loss may be from fire damage, another side effect of the water damage is that a restoration crew may be needed to clean up the mold left afterwards.  Any time there is water damage, mold can and usually does occur as a side effect. Most mold can grow in less than 24 hours.  A restoration team then needs to come in an address any mold issues associated with the loss.

The restoration crew will set up a time to come to the location to assess the fire damage first.  They would include many things in this assessment, like what type of damage has been done by the fire and water and which areas will need to have mold cleaned.  Although this is not as simple as it seems, hiring the right crew should make it a very easy job.  A very complete site inspection should be done.

Once the inspection of site has been completed and repairs that need to be completed is recognized, the next thing to do would be to find the main source of the problem.  For example, the electrical or plumbing may have been of inferior quality, or just located too closely to the fire.  The restoration team would now proceed with repairs.

Once the assessment is completed, the team would need to move on to cleaning up the damage by the water first.  This includes:

1. Removing traces of toxic airborne particles by using air filtering and fogging techniques
2. Clearing trash and debris from un-salvageable items
3. Using a pump to get standing water out of the building

There could be a heavy mold buildup if the damage was extensive or a lot of time has passed before clean up.  There is a specific set of steps that go with the clean up process for mold.  These steps include:

1. Finding heavy moisture areas in the house and determine reason for moisture
2. Finding out if rooms have enough ventilation to control moisture levels
3. Determining levels of mold to find out how intensive of a treatment is required
4. Identifying the type of mold and levels of toxicity.

Some types of mold are very dangerous and can cause illness or death. Restoration and repair for water damage can be a very time consuming and tedious task, but having a proper team with experience will make you feel much more comfortable that the damages are being assessed properly.

If you have experienced a fire and are going through a fire damage claim, we can help you.

(C) Joe Brennan is President and owner/operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. We will answer your claim questions FREE as part of our FREE Insurance Claim Consulting Service – Ph: 919-669-9111 . Insurance Claim Help and questions about Independent Appraiser Services is available by visiting Insurance Claims Group | Insurance Appraisal Services | Insurance Appraisal Process | Insurance Appraisal Umpire | Fire Insurance Claims