Finding out that someone has broken into your home can be incredibly traumatizing. Your home is your safe space, and someone has taken that away from you. In addition, you’re left cleaning up the mess and destruction that the burglar left behind.
Most Texas Homeowners’ Insurance policies cover theft or break-in, but the process of successfully recovering, in full, for your theft claim can be difficult. Here’s what you should know from a Texas home insurance claim attorney.
What Does Homeowners’ Insurance Cover?
The good news is that your homeowner’s insurance policy will probably cover at least some of your damages. Exactly what is covered depends on your policy. Types of coverage include:
- Vandalism coverage: This coverage would apply if the intruder vandalized your property. For instance, perhaps they broke in and spray-painted graffiti on the walls.
- Personal property coverage: This coverage protects you if your belongings are stolen or destroyed as a result of burglary.
- Dwelling coverage: Dwelling coverage pays you if your home is damaged because of a break-in. It would cover things such as broken windows, damaged floorboards, and holes in the wall.
- Other structures coverage: If a burglar damaged other structures on your property, such as a shed or detached garage, this coverage would pay for damages.
How Much Can You Claim?
How much you can claim for your losses also depends on your policy. Coverage for dwellings and other structures is usually clear-cut. For instance, if you have $100,000 of dwelling coverage, your insurance company would pay up to that amount to repair damages, minus your deductible.
Insurance companies usually set personal property coverage limits at 50% to 75% of your dwelling coverage amount. However, some items may have sub-limits, which means the insurance company will only cover them up to a certain amount.
If, on the other hand, you’ve set up scheduled coverage for certain items, you can claim their full value. Some homeowners buy scheduled coverage for valuable items, such as jewelry, artwork, and antiques.
If you’re unsure how much your policy covers, call us to speak with a Texas home insurance claim attorney.
How to File a Claim for a Break-In
Although homeowners’ insurance covers break-ins, it can often be difficult to secure payment from your insurer for the full value of your damages and losses. Insurance companies scrutinize theft claims more than other types of claims because of a high incidence of fraudulent, theft claims. Accordingly, to prove your claim is legitimate, you will want to gather and submit plenty of supporting documentation to your insurance company.
Here’s how to make a claim the right way:
- Take pictures of all the damage done to your home. It’s also a good idea to do a video walkthrough of your home.
- Add up the value of stolen items. Your insurance company might want to see receipts, bank statements, and/or serial numbers to verify value.
- Report the break-in to the police and obtain a copy of your police report. This goes a long way toward proving that you’re not committing fraud, as many fraudsters don’t bother contacting the cops, and the insurance company will likely request a copy of the police report right off the bat.
- Have emergency repairs done, if necessary. These could include patching up broken doors, holes in walls, and shattered windows. Keep your repair receipts; you’ll need them for your insurance claim.
Let Our Attorneys Handle Your Insurance Claim
At McLaurin Law, PLLC, our attorneys have years of experience representing clients for insurance claims. If you’ve suffered a break-in and your insurance company is making it tough to recover damages, we can talk with the insurance adjuster on your behalf. Our law firm can also help you understand your policy and what it covers.
For a consultation with a Texas home insurance claim attorney, contact our firm today at 713-231-5903.
