Was your property broken into or vandalized?
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According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 3.7 million burglaries occur every year in the U.S. Almost every day, a homeowner in the U.S. has to deal with theft and vandalism. Understanding the insurance contract when dealing with theft and vandalism claims is crucial. If you have also been hit by a criminal who has destroyed or damaged your property, file an insurance claim as soon as possible. Typically, the homeowner’s insurance policy will list “Theft” & “Vandalism or Malicious Mischief” as two separate perils to be insured against. In many occurrences, a property owner will incur losses from both during the same event. Suppose a theft or vandalism claim is improperly investigated and presented by a homeowner or policyholder. In that case, it is possible that the insurance carrier may consider addressing the loss under two separate claims, therefore applying two separate deductibles.
Property crimes can happen at any given moment. They usually occur at residences that are either not occupied throughout the day or within a given time frame. Someone may have a home in Florida but leave for six months for Canada during the hot season in Florida. These are the times that criminals take advantage.
You may walk into your home and find that you suffered at the hands of a thief. Having coverage for vandalism and theft is very important if you are ever hardly home. These cases require a significant amount of attention and professional advice.
Insurance companies will want you to settle for less and may not give you what you are due. Identifying the difference between these two listed perils is what an experienced public adjuster will outline initially in the investigation of a claim. So, the first thing you must do after discovering your property has been vandalized is call the police. The police will make sure the criminals are caught and prosecuted!
The importance of a descriptive police incident report is what will set your claim for a better outcome. The second thing is calling a public adjuster! Hiring an experienced public adjuster will not only help recover benefits for stolen or vandalized items but also ensure that property damage that has been overseen due to the entry to the premise is addressed.
Prime Public Adjusters are ready to answer your call and come to assess the loss you have suffered. We will be there for you and help you file a theft and vandalism claim to repair the damage to your property. However, to get enough money to cover the repairs and losses, you must ensure you do not destroy the evidence of the crime by trying to clean up the mess. The police and your insurance company must know exactly what has been destroyed or stolen.
Theft & vandalism damaged property
- Broken doors and lockets
- Broken window glazing and frames
- Damaged flooring materials such as: tiles, carpets, wood floors
- Broken fixtures
- Water damage resulting from the removal of appliances, mechanical units, plumbing systems
Theft is typically defined as property that is stolen. Property owners and claimants will find that the homeowner’s special form policy may have surprising limitations to items that have been stolen.
- Personal items with limitations
- Silverware, trays, trophies, & tea sets
- Jewelry & timepieces
- Firearms & related equipment
- Cash
- Electronic Apparatus such as tapes, players, or discs
- Items within a motorized vehicle when stolen
Vandalism or Malicious Mischief, on the other hand, is the deliberate offense of destroying or damaging someone else’s property without their permission. Therefore, filing a vandalism claim and hiring a public adjuster is essential.
Do I also have other property damage?
The initial documentation of your theft and vandalism claims for your damaged property is imperative in providing the evidence needed to create an initial presentation to your insurance company. Taking photos and videos with a smartphone or any other device will help solidify your claim and show necessary documentation of damaged property that may not be obtainable at a later time. Contacting an insurance claim professional, such as a public adjuster, is beneficial in documenting damaged property early in an insurance claim.
We find that homeowners and other policyholders at times, fail to understand and identify the nature and extent of their damage. Our adjusters have the experience and trained eye that allow us to understand the scope of repairs with clarity immediately. Prime Public Adjusters will advise that the property be thoroughly investigated and tested where needed in order to identify damage unseen to the naked eye. Such issues must be immediately addressed and recognized at the early stages of presenting an insurance claim for theft & vandalism residential losses.