Avoid insurance claim roadblocks

By © tainar | adobestock

It may be tough to find a silver lining during an insurance claim process, but there are ways to ease the process, say Tom Richey, property claims manager, and Nancy Zollo, senior claim representative, at Hortica’s property division.

When a loss occurs, it’s important that the claimant or insured submit the claim immediately.

“Some of the investigation may take longer if there’s a delay in submitting a claim,” Richey says.

Once the initial claim is made, whether it’s storm damage, theft or an accident, for example, start your thorough documentation.

Take as many photos as you can of damages and issues, Richey says. But be careful not to put yourself in harm’s way.

“Sometimes for safety reasons, you may need to clean up right away [after a weather event], so it’s important to take pictures immediately from all angles and take more than you think you need. Then start your cleanup or make temporary repairs, as long as it’s safe to do so,” Zollo says.

Incident reports are necessary when submitting a claim on any issue.

“When something happens, whether it’s property damage, auto damage, theft or a slip and fall, have a procedure in place to create an incident report,” she says.

“It’s an immediate record of the event and it should be created within hours of the event. It could be as simple as a voice memo on an iPhone. Make basic notes like, ‘wind tore off the roof’ or ‘X and Y were stolen at this job site.’”

If the incident is any type of vandalism or burglary, for example, file a report with the proper authorities, which also documents details.

When it comes to reporting damage and starting a claim, does your company have a plan of who handles the process? If not, make it a priority to create a contingency plan.

“Identify a person or persons within the organization to submit a claim,” Richey says. “If one manager assumes another manager will do it, that just delays the entire process. And the biggest challenge to any claim is late notice.”

Plans should outline who’s in charge of contacting employees, who will contact the insurance agency, who will call the proper authorities, who will contact vendors and suppliers, and who will reach out to contractors when repairs or remediation are needed.

Have all these phone numbers saved offsite, as well, in case your records are lost or damaged.

“And know your policy number and have the insurance company’s 800 number readily available,” Zollo adds. “Keep it in your phone or in a file off site. That helps us or any other agency dive right in.”

Preparation for any situation is key.

By © Tryfonov | adobestock

“Unfortunately, we have seen instances when a company has poorly kept records or doesn’t have any backup information or bad inventory lists,” Richey says.

No matter the size of your business, back up your records often.

“Record-keeping is vital and very helpful to expedite claims,” Zollo says. “All sizes of companies should back up their data on a regular basis. Even if you don’t have digital records, it can even be as simple as having a general ledger that tracks the costs of your plants and greenhouse components.”

Make sure you’re communicating with your agent on a regular basis and reviewing your policy, Zollo says.

“If you do that on a regular basis, you might discover gaps in your coverage. This is your livelihood, so it’s best to review it and get a good understanding of the policy.”