Has your home been broken into? Has someone vandalized your home and stolen your property? Contact the police as soon as possible to report the theft or vandalism and obtain a report number.
Coverage under your policy
Damage resulting from theft and vandalism is covered under home insurance policies.
Most insurance policies pay out a maximum amount in case of theft of certain property such as jewelry, wine and spirits, gold items, works of art, software and bicycles.
Steps to follow
1. Contact your insurer
You should call your insurer as soon as possible to have a claims adjuster handle your claim. You’ll need to provide the police report or police report number.
2. Check the insurance contract and the coverage included
At this step, the claims adjuster will verify the validity of your policy and the coverage limits.
3. Additional living expenses
You may need to evacuate the premises, depending on the type of damage suffered. Talk to your insurer about this, as your policy may cover the additional costs you incur for food and accommodation while your home is being repaired.
4. Assess and document the loss
This step is necessary to establish the cost of the damage and loss.
At this stage, you’ll have to:
- Make a list of the items that were damaged, destroyed or stolen and, if possible, gather all relevant documents, such as proof of purchase, warranties and instruction manuals.
- Take photos or videos of the damage, if any.
If your home has been damaged, the cost to repair or replace the damaged areas will be assessed.
5. Repair or replace damaged items
Your home insurer is required to return your belongings and your home to the state they were in prior to the loss, according to the terms and conditions and coverage amounts of your policy.
Your insurer also has to indemnify you for the loss within 60 days of receiving your claim or any information or supporting documents it may request.
Your insurer will have the damaged property cleaned and repaired if possible. If not, your belongings will be replaced according to the terms and conditions of your contract.
Depending on the agreement, your insurer may pay you the indemnity or pay the service providers or contractors directly.
Don’t forget your deductible: your insurer will deduct the amount of your policy deductible from the compensation amount.
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