How do I file a claim, and can my premium go up?

Short answer: Start by calling a licensed public adjuster before you file, so the claim is documented, valued and presented right from day one. Filing a claim doesn't automatically raise your premium, and the law protects you: in Florida, a claim caused by a hurricane or other act of God can't be the reason your policy is canceled or nonrenewed, and in New Jersey, weather claims on an owner-occupied home can't be the sole reason either. Damage left unrepaired usually costs far more than any premium change, so the smart move is a claim filed the right way.

How to file a claim the right way

• Call Homeland first. Before you report anything, talk to a licensed public adjuster who works for you, not the insurer. We tell you honestly whether the damage looks like a claim worth filing.
• Protect the property. Make the reasonable temporary repairs your policy requires (tarp, water shut-off, drying) and keep every receipt.
• Document everything. Photos and video before anything is thrown out, moisture readings, and a list of damaged contents.
• Let us handle the notice and the claim. Homeland reports the claim on your behalf, meets the insurer's adjuster at the property, writes a full estimate and negotiates the settlement.
• Mind the deadlines. In Florida, a new or reopened claim must be reported within 1 year after the date of loss, and a supplemental claim within 18 months (Fla. Stat. §627.70132).

Why waiting usually costs more than filing

Damage doesn't go away on its own. Water spreads inside walls, a leaking roof lets in more water with every storm, and mold can follow. Unrepaired damage can come up at a renewal inspection and can be argued as old or pre-existing damage against your next claim. It also matters when you apply for coverage or renew: in Florida, a misstatement or omission on an insurance application can prevent recovery if it was fraudulent or material to the risk, or if the insurer would have charged a different premium or declined the policy had it known the facts (Fla. Stat. §627.409). Reporting real damage and getting it properly repaired protects you.

What can and can't change after a claim

• Florida: claims on property policies that are the result of an act of God may not be used as a cause for cancellation or nonrenewal, unless the insurer can show you failed to take action it reasonably asked for to prevent the damage from happening again (Fla. Stat. §627.4133(3)).
• New Jersey: an insurer may not cancel or nonrenew a policy on an owner-occupied one-to-four family home solely because of weather-related claims, unless the claim shows an increase in hazard. Asking your insurer a question about your policy is not counted as a claim (N.J.A.C. 11:1-20.4(e)).
• Your rate: each insurer sets its own rating plan, so depending on your insurer and policy, a paid claim may affect a claims-free discount at renewal. Premiums also change for reasons unrelated to you, like reinsurance costs and storm seasons. In Florida, your insurer must send written notice of the renewal premium at least 45 days in advance (Fla. Stat. §627.4133(2)(a)), so you can compare before it renews.

The bottom line

For real damage, the question isn't whether to deal with it, but how. A claim filed the right way, documented and valued by an experienced public adjuster, is how the repair gets paid for. Homeland Public Adjusters has represented property owners in Florida and New Jersey since 2006, and Nelson Avila is also a Florida Certified Residential Contractor and a property insurance appraiser and umpire.

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