Claims

Experiencing a property or liability loss can be a traumatic experience no matter how small the loss may be. Your Agent and our staff here at Mid-Hudson Co-Operative want to make it a less stressful experience for you. Call your Agent or Mid-Hudson Co-Operative Insurance Company (800-721-5001) immediately and protect your property. Please do not report a claim via e-mail as this is not a reliable way to report a claim and the proper paper work must be filled out.

Protect the Property

No matter the type of loss, you should take reasonable steps to protect property from any further damage.

One of the most important things to do after a Property loss is make temporary repairs to prevent any further damage. Do your best to protect your property by covering damage in roof, walls, doors, and windows with plastic sheeting or plywood. Some insurance policies may not cover ensuing damage to your property if you have not taken reasonable steps to secure the property from subsequent damage. Be careful not to risk your own safety when making the repairs.

Your insurance company will reimburse you for all reasonable costs to protect your property, as long as you save receipts for any materials you buy. Beware of building contractors that encourage you to spend a lot of money on temporary repairs.

Remember that payments for temporary repairs are part of the total loss settlement. Also, don't make extensive permanent repairs until after the claims adjuster has been to your home and assessed the damage.

Call Your Insurance Agent or Company Representative

To ensure that your claim is processed as quickly as possible, please have the following information available when you call to report your claim to your agent. Your agent's name and phone number can be found in the upper right hand corner of your policy declaration page. However, please do not delay reporting the claim if you do not have all the information requested.

Policy number Date of loss Your name and address Location of loss Description of loss Police or fire report/police report number/precinct or fire department responding What caused the loss? Approximate dollar amount of loss (if known) Name and telephone number of person to contact to discuss claim

Remember to ask such questions as:

Does my policy cover the property damage to my home? How long will it take to process my claim? Will I need to obtain estimates for repairs to the structure? What is my deductible? (The deductible is the portion of the loss you pay before your insurance company begins to pay.)

Dealing with Your Insurance Adjuster

Your insurance company may send you a claim form, known as a "proof of loss" form, to complete. Proof of loss is a formal statement made by a policy owner to an insurer regarding a loss. It is intended to provide the insurer with information to determine the extent of its liability.

A claims adjuster, a person professionally trained to assess the damage to your property, may visit your home or property before you're asked to complete any forms. The more information you have about your damaged home and belongings, the sooner your claim will be settled. Your adjuster generally will come prepared to do a thorough and complete evaluation of the damage to your home. If the adjuster is unable to complete a thorough inspection due to time constraints he/she may be forced to "scope the loss." This is a brief inspection of the damage with a second visit necessary to complete the inspection. The "scope of loss" should include the following:

Degree of damage Quality of the materials and workmanship Measurements needed to calculate quantities

The scope differs from the finished estimate in two ways:

The scope does not necessarily list any prices, although prices can be used to describe quality. The scope does not list the calculated quantities; it includes just the raw counts and measurements needed to calculate quantities for the estimate.

Keep a log of all phone calls and correspondence, and make copies of all correspondence you send to, or receive from, your insurance company.