Insurance Claims Guide | What to Do After a Loss

Just had a loss? Three things to do first.

If your home, vehicle, or business has just been damaged, your first calls matter more than you think. Here is the order most carriers and adjusters expect, and what we recommend.

Get safe and document.

Make sure people are safe. Take photos and short videos of everything: damage from multiple angles, room interiors, license plates, the scene before anything is moved. Time-stamped phone photos are excellent evidence. Keep receipts for any emergency spending.

Stop further damage where reasonable.

Most policies require you to take reasonable steps to prevent additional damage. Tarp a roof, board a window, shut off water at the main. Keep receipts. Do not start full repairs before the adjuster has seen the damage unless safety requires it.

Call us before you call the carrier.

A two-minute call to your agency before the carrier helps you understand what is and is not covered, what the adjuster will ask, and whether filing this particular claim is even in your interest. Sometimes filing is wrong. We tell you which case yours is.

WE WORK FOR YOU

What we actually do during a claim.

An independent agency does not work for the carrier. We work for you. During a claim, that means a few specific things, none of which most carriers will offer you.

Translate the policy and the carrier.

Adjusters quote policy language at speed, and most homeowners do not have the time or training to keep up. We read the policy with you, point out which clauses apply to your situation, and tell you when the carrier is reading them in their favor instead of yours.

Push back when something looks wrong.

Initial denials and lowball estimates are common. Sometimes they are correct, and sometimes they are not. We tell you which is which and help you ask for re-inspection or supplemental review when the carrier should be paying more than they offered.

Help organize your documentation.

Carriers respond to documentation. We help you build the file: photos, receipts, repair estimates, contractor bids, and the timeline of communications. A well-documented claim is paid faster and at the right amount more often than a sparse one.

Track timelines and follow up.

Claims have statutory response deadlines. When carriers are slow, we follow up directly so you do not have to. If the timeline starts slipping in ways the regulation does not allow, we help you understand what your next options are.

What we are not.

We are an independent insurance agency. We are not the adjuster, the lawyer, or the public adjuster. For coverage disputes that escalate to legal action, we will help you understand when to engage one. Honesty about that boundary is part of what we do.

EDUCATIONAL

Common things that quietly hurt claims.

These are not bad-faith carrier moves. They are routine outcomes that follow from how the process actually works. Knowing them ahead of time helps you avoid the worst of them.

Giving a recorded statement before you are ready.

Most carriers will ask for a recorded statement early in the claim. The question is not whether to give one but when, and after what preparation. Statements made before you have reviewed your own documentation are easier to misremember later, and recorded statements are part of the file forever. Talk to us about timing before you record.

Treating the first offer as the final offer.

First offers and initial estimates often come from quick assessments using standard pricing. Many claims have legitimate room for supplemental review when contractors find additional damage during repairs. Settling fast is not always wrong, but it should be a choice, not a default.

Accepting the carrier's preferred contractor without checking.

Carrier preferred contractor networks have legitimate uses: speed, warranties, no out-of-pocket. They also have a relationship with the carrier that may not be in your interest if scope of work becomes contested. You usually have the right to choose your own licensed contractor. Confirm this in your policy before agreeing.

Skipping documentation because you assume coverage is obvious.

Even claims that seem clearly covered are paid based on what is documented. A homeowner who has photos of their belongings, receipts, and the loss scene receives a different settlement than one who has only a general claim. Take the time at intake. It pays back during settlement.

Reading a denial letter quickly and then setting it aside.

Denial letters cite specific policy provisions. Sometimes the cited provision actually does apply. Sometimes it does not, or applies only partially. Reading the cited provision against your actual policy is how you know which it is. We help with this.

REGULATORY HELP

Your rights when a carrier handles a claim

If you need to file a claim and reach the carrier directly, the carrier line is on each carrier page. If you have a regulatory dispute, your state Department of Insurance has a complaint process and statutory deadlines that carriers must follow.

Georgia: Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner

Carriers writing in Georgia must acknowledge a claim within 15 days and decide it within 30 days under Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 120-2-52-.03. If a carrier acts in bad faith, O.C.G.A. § 33-4-6 allows a 60-day demand and a 50% penalty plus attorney fees if proven. The Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner accepts consumer complaints when carrier handling falls outside these standards.

File a complaint with the GA DOI:oci.georgia.gov/file-consumer-insurance-complaint

GA DOI consumer line:(800) 656-2298

Georgia Workers' Compensation: State Board of Workers' Compensation

Workers' compensation claims in Georgia are governed by O.C.G.A. Title 34, Chapter 9, and administered by the State Board of Workers' Compensation, not the Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner. Employers must file Form WC-1 within 21 days of receiving notice of an injury that causes more than seven days of lost time. Disputes are filed with the State Board.

State Board of Workers' Compensation:sbwc.georgia.gov

When you have a claim, you should not be alone.