Your home insurance policy protects you from having to pay the full costs associated with a property loss if one occurs. It can be a huge reassurance when there is bad weather on the horizon or when you are on vacation, but your policy coverage does not provide funds automatically.
When something goes wrong, it can take a lot of work on your part to file your claim, provide evidence of the loss, and make sure that you receive fair compensation according to the terms of your policy.
Thankfully, there are now a number of apps and technologies that you can use to manage your home insurance, file home insurance claims, and collect all of the documentation and evidence you need to submit to the insurance adjuster and the insurance company.
Home Insurance Apps
Your home insurance policy is rarely top of mind, at least until something goes wrong. You would be forgiven if you cannot remember the details of your policy on a day-to-day basis, but when you are worried about things going wrong, it is a great feeling to know that you can review or even change your coverage at your convenience.
A growing number of insurance companies now offer mobile apps where you can review your home and auto insurance. They let you manage payments, review the details of your policy, and even change your policy. The freedom to change your policy lets you adjust when you make big new purchases, such as valuables that may need special coverage.
If you are in a situation where you have to file a claim, you can even use these apps to manage claims. They can be a useful way to upload photos for the insurance adjuster and keep up communication with the insurance company.
See if your insurance company offers a mobile app where you can keep your coverage up-to-date and even manage claims.
Home Inventory Apps
According to one estimate, the average home contains around 300,000 individual items. Keeping track of it all is not an easy task, especially if you have to list all of your belongings after a major loss like a fire or a flood. Could you remember every record, book, Blu-Ray, and shirt you have in your home? What about the things your kids have in their rooms?
A standard part of a home insurance claim is submitting a Schedule of Loss, which details all of the items lost or damaged in the incident.
This can be a major undertaking, and you are likely to forget a lot of things. That is why it is recommended that every homeowner keep a home inventory. This is an ongoing, updated list of all the things in your home.
Home inventory apps make it easy to update your home inventory as you make new purchases and get rid of others. Keeping an updated list can also help you make sure you have enough insurance to begin with.
Receipt Organizer
If something were to happen that would require lengthy repairs and force you to stay somewhere other than your home, you should be able to submit a claim for Additional Living Expenses. This covers expenses like renting a hotel, motel, apartment, or condo, as well as additional food, transportation, and storage costs after the loss.
A receipt organizer app makes it easy to hold onto all of your receipts and keep everything updated in real time.
Try these apps to make managing your insurance policy and insurance claims simple.
Alice J. Roden started working for Trending Insurance News at the end of 2021. Alice grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. A writer with a vast insurance industry background Alice has help with several of the biggest insurance companies. Before joining Trending Insurance News, Alice briefly worked as a freelance journalist for several radio stations. She covers home, renters and other property insurance stories.