At Florida Peninsula Insurance, we've been helping Florida homeowners recover after fire, theft, and natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, lightning, and more since 2005. We deeply understand the joys – and risks – of living in a tropical climate and we have a long track record of being fast, fair, and friendly when it comes to making a claim on your home insurance policy.
To help our policyholders better understand the claims process, here is a step-by-step guide of what to expect should you have to file a claim with us.
Of course, your policy will identify what's covered and specific procedures you may need to follow in the event of a loss. This is a great example of why it’s critical to keep your policy documentation safe and easy to access – or, better yet, why you'll want to create an online policyholder account via our website, so all your important documents will be available to you just by logging in.
Here are the basic steps of the claims process at Florida Peninsula Insurance:
1. Document Your Loss
As soon as you become aware of the damage or loss, you should take steps to document it by taking photos or videos. Keep this with other photos, videos, and inventories of your home taken prior to the damage occurring. Ideally, you'll have documentation supporting what the property looked like before and after the covered loss. To be safe, you'll want to keep this documentation handy until the claim is closed.
2. Prevent Further Loss
At any point during the claims process, you are free to take reasonable steps to protect your property from incurring additional damage – as long as it is safe to do so. For example, you may wish to:
• Cover damaged roof tiles with tarp (to help prevent/stop water intrusion)
• Dry out water-damaged areas (to stop the spread of mold and mildew)
• Replace a door lock or broken window (to deter intruders after a break-in)
Be sure to save your receipts so you can submit them for reimbursement consideration.
3. Make a Claim
If you've experienced a loss, you'll want to file a claim as soon as reasonably possible after the event. You may also want to consider the amount of your deductible when determining whether it's worth it to submit a claim.
There are three ways to begin the claims process. Choose whichever of the following options is most convenient for you:
• DIY on Our Website. This method is quick, easy, and puts you in the driver's seat. It’s also available 24/7. Visit the claims page on the Florida Peninsula Insurance website and click the green button to start a new claim. Once your claim is submitted, the claims process begins, and you will be assigned a claim number and adjuster.
Note: If you haven’t already done so, you will need to create a policyholder account on our website prior to submitting your claim – and we’ve made this super easy to do. Start by clicking on "My Account / New Account" in the upper right-hand corner of any page of our website and simply follow the prompts.
• Call Our Claims Department. Also available, you could submit a new claim by calling the Florida Peninsula Insurance Claims Department at (866) 549-9672, option 3 to speak with one of our knowledgeable claims concierge professionals.
• Contact Your Agent. You may wish to call or email your insurance agent if you need assistance with submitting your claim or answers to questions from someone you're already familiar with.
4. Property Inspection
After you have submitted your claim, your assigned adjuster will reach out to you within 1-2 days to schedule a property inspection. This will be scheduled at a date and time convenient for both of you. It is our goal for these inspections to be completed within 1 week of the reported loss, although this timeline may vary, depending on the situation, location, and extent of the damage. During your property inspection, the adjuster will inspect the damage, and take photos or videos as well as collect other information as necessary to further document your loss
5. Track Your Claim
To stay informed of the progress of your claim, you can track it in one of three ways: by signing into your policyholder account from the Florida Peninsula Insurance website, calling our Claims Department at (866) 549-9672, or contacting your agent for a status update.
6. Claim Determination
The adjuster will complete the final review of your claim and submit it for processing. A representative will then contact you to discuss the outcome of the claims process – and what you can expect to happen next. You will also receive documents detailing the outcome, along with a reasonable explanation of the claim decision, in accordance with the facts, your policy, and applicable laws.
Those next steps will vary, based on the determination received. For example, if the loss is found to be covered under your policy, and your claim approved either partially or in full, payment will be made based on the terms of your policy. One reason for a partial payout could be when the total amount of your claim exceeds your policy limits. Any payouts will be made according to your policy limits.
The claim may be denied for a variety of reasons, including an exclusion of coverage for the specific event causing the damage. For example, a standard homeowners policy does not cover damage caused by rising water – for this, you will need to have purchased flood insurance. You have the option to dispute a determination and should be prepared to provide additional documentation supporting your position or request.
Fast, Fair & Friendly Claims Processing
At Florida Peninsula Insurance, we are committed to helping Florida homeowners recover when disaster strikes. As one of Florida’s largest homeowners insurance companies, we provide coverage for homes, condos, renters insurance, and more. To find out more about our claims process, call your agent. To become a Florida Peninsula Insurance policyholder, get a quote now.
