The claims help guide
After the storm,
one plain step at a time.
Carrier claim lines answer 24/7
We call back the next business morning
No fee for claims help
Four steps
from damage to repaired.
The order matters. Most of the trouble in a claim comes from repairs started before the adjuster has seen the damage.
Make it safe
Stop the water, tarp the roof, board the window. Take photos and video before you clean up, and keep receipts for every emergency repair; reasonable costs to prevent more damage are usually covered.
Report it to the carrier, then to us
Call the 24-hour claim number on your policy or app and write down the claim number. Then call us; we check what your policy covers and what the deductible will be.
Meet the adjuster prepared
We send you a short list before the inspection: photos, a list of damaged items, any contractor estimates. On larger losses one of us can be there.
Review the estimate, then repair
We read the estimate line by line with you. Replacement cost policies often pay in two checks: the first now, the held-back depreciation once repairs are done.
Your agent works for you.
Not for the carrier.
The adjuster works for the insurance company. We work for you, and we keep working after the policy is sold: on the phone, on the estimate and on the follow-up.
We cannot promise any claim will be paid; the carrier decides under the policy wording. What we promise is a second pair of eyes and someone who calls back.
We read the estimate
Line by line against your policy, so missing items like gutters, screens or code upgrades get noticed before you sign anything.
We chase the follow-up
If an adjuster goes quiet, we call the carrier’s claim manager. Most stalled claims move within a week of that call.
We explain the check
Actual cash value, recoverable depreciation, the mortgage company on the check: we tell you what each line means and what to do next.
What a home policy
usually pays for.
The four main parts of a standard homeowners policy, plus the two losses it almost always leaves out.
Dwelling (Coverage A)
The house itself and what is attached to it: roof, walls, built-in cabinets, the attached garage.
Usually covered
Other structures (B)
A detached garage, a fence or a shed, usually up to 10% of the dwelling limit.
Usually covered
Belongings (Coverage C)
Furniture, clothes and electronics, with lower limits for jewelry, firearms and cash unless you schedule them.
Usually covered
Loss of use (Coverage D)
Hotel, rent and extra meal costs while the house cannot be lived in after a covered loss.
Usually covered
Flood and earthquake
Rising water and earth movement are excluded; flood needs its own policy, usually with a 30-day wait.
Separate policy
Green dot: covered by most homeowners policies, up to your limits and after the deductible. Gray dot: excluded or sold as a separate policy.
Proof.
Start the folder before you need it. A home inventory takes an evening and saves weeks on a claim.
Right away
Photos and video of every damaged room
Receipts for tarps, pumps and hotel nights
The damaged items, until the adjuster sees them
A note of the date, time and cause
For the adjuster
Your policy number and claim number
A list of damaged belongings with ages and prices
Contractor estimates, if you already have them
Photos of the house from before, if you have any
For your records
The adjuster’s name, phone and email
Every call: the date, who you spoke to, what was promised
Copies of the estimate and of each check
Final invoices once repairs are done
Thaddeus handles
every claim call.
Call even if you are not sure it is worth a claim. Sometimes the best advice is to pay a small repair yourself and keep your record clean.
Quotes are free, with no obligation. A quote is not a binder or an offer of coverage; every policy is subject to the carrier’s underwriting, terms and exclusions. Stellhorn & Kettner is a demo agency, Iowa license # 0000000 (demo).