Glossary
Claim, defined
A formal request to the insurer to pay for a loss the policy covers. It starts when you report the event, continues while an adjuster confirms what happened and what the policy owes, and ends with a payment, a partial payment with reasons, or a denial with reasons.
In practice
Reporting promptly matters because the policy requires it and because evidence fades. What you say at the first call becomes the record, so describe what happened plainly and let the adjuster decide what it means under the policy. Every open request is measured against the limits and the deductible for the coverage it falls under, not against the policy as a whole.
A history of requests, paid or not, follows you between carriers through shared databases and can affect the premium at renewal.
A worked example
Suppose a kitchen fire does $12,000 of covered damage and the policy carries a $1,000 deductible. You report it the same day, the adjuster inspects, and the insurer pays $11,000 toward the repair. Had you waited three months and started repairs first, the insurer could question both the cause and the amount. These figures are hypothetical.
Applies to: Home InsuranceAuto Insurance