We hope you never have a claim, but if you do, we are here to help. Although many companies have 24/7 claim centers, there are many advantages to calling our office to report your claim. Our specialists can advise you on the ramifications of filing your claim, and explain how the claims process works – eliminating frustrations which usually arise from the unknown. If it is after business hours & your claim needs immediate attention please call the company whose policy you own at the appropriate number listed below. Please try to have your policy number handy before calling these toll free service numbers.
Upon completing this call, we request you also call us at the number listed above to inform us of your claim as well.
To report your loss to Lipstone Insurance, please call us at (919) 463-5300.
Here are the “Do’s and Don’ts” of Auto Insurance Claims:
Do: Get Contact Information of All Witnesses. Witnesses don’t usually have time to waste waiting for the entire investigation to get worked out, so police will often let them go relatively quickly. Get their contact information immediately, to help the insurance company contact them later.
Do: Take Pictures or Video With Your Cell Phone. Again, once everyone is determined to be safe, take several pictures of the car accident scene, damage to the car, and injuries, making sure to include different perspectives.
Do: Get Advice From Us. Communicate with our agency and keep us updated.
Do: Keep All Notes and Receipts Involving Your Case. Try to keep good notes about the conversations you have with the insurance company, including the time and date, and who you spoke with. Try to get the job titles, names, and phone numbers of everyone involved. Keep any receipts related to vehicle repair, towing costs or rental car expenses so you can get completely reimbursed.
Don’t: Admit Fault. Often, after an accident, we believe we saw something or we remember something differently than the actual witnesses. By admitting fault, we might be mistaken, which doesn’t represent the truth.
Don’t: Speculate On What Happened. Just explain what you believe to be the facts to the police, us, and adjusters. Write down what happened because you’re going to have to make several statements.
Don’t: Negotiate Directly With Whomever Caused the Accident. The person you’re dealing with likely doesn’t have the ability to know exactly what the value of your claim should be, so make sure you submit the claim to their insurance company instead. You might even be able to get your bills paid through your own insurance, allowing them to go after the other person to be reimbursed.
Don’t: Accept Immediate Settlements. Do your homework and review the documents carefully before you agree to any settlement.
Don’t: Accept Any Payment as Final … If It’s Not Supposed to Be. Never accept a payment that is marked with the term, Final Payment on it, unless you are positive that it should be the final payment.
Here are the “Do’s and Don’ts” of Home Insurance Claims:
DO: Check your insurance policy carefully before making a claim. If you’re unsure whether the claim will be below your deductible or involves your roof, call us first before submitting a claim – This will help you avoid unnecessary disappointment and effort.
DO: After we discuss the merit of your claim, you should contact your insurance company as soon as you possibly can. There are deadlines in most home insurance policies for how long you have before a claim becomes void and can’t be made. Of course. In case of an emergency always contact your carrier.
DO: Have all your claim details organized – Try and get together all the home insurance documentation you have when you contact your insurance company, it will help avoid unnecessary delays and misunderstandings.
DO: Take photographs – Photographs can provide some of the most powerful evidence in support of a claim. Whether you’ve had something stolen, or part of your home is damaged, take plenty of photographs. Also, look to see if you can find any photographs from before the incident, if relevant, it will give the insurer a clear comparison.
DO: Keep receipts – If you have any emergency work done which can’t be avoided without first contacting your insurer, make sure you keep the receipts and invoices. Likewise, if you have items valued, keep the valuations in a safe place as they can act as both proof of ownership and a good reference for replacement value.
DO: Be clear and don’t embellish the extent of the claim– It might be tempting to embellish on what actually happened in the hope of strengthening your claim, and while you might not be lying as such, it would impact negatively on your claim if the insurer felt you were deliberately pushing for more than you’re perhaps due.
DO: Always contact the police if it’s a crime – If you’ve been robbed, or had your property damaged by malicious behavior, you should contact the police immediately (again, delaying could negatively impact on a claim). You’ll be given a police report number which you need as part of any claim you subsequently make.
Don’t: Accept a claim settlement if you’re not happy with it – Contact your adjuster and ask how they arrived at the settlement. If you’re not happy with the outcome, write to the assigned adjuster and explain why you’re not happy with the offer, and what you want them to do.
Don’t: Approve non-emergency repairs without checking with your insurer – If you approve repairs which couldn’t be considered ‘emergency’ in nature without first consulting with the insurer and getting their agreement, you risk invalidating any claim (e.g. a big hole in a supporting wall would be an ‘emergency’, but a hole in a ceiling might not be).
Don’t: Be Vague- The Top Don’ts of Home Insurance Claims Saying, “My TV is busted” does not give the insurance company adequate information to provide coverage. Your insurer needs to know exactly what has been damaged or stolen. Be detailed; provide a list of all items, including receipts whenever possible. This is where having a home inventory becomes crucial.
Don’t: Delay- Even if you’re not sure it’s worth filing a claim, call us and explain the situation. Most insurers require you to file a claim within a few months of sustaining loss and if you delay, you may forfeit coverage. In addition, neglecting to file a claim may result in further damage which may not be covered by insurance if the company claims owner neglect. The sooner you file a claim, the sooner it will be handled, so don’t delay.
Don’t: Make Permanent Repairs- If your roof is leaking and water is pouring into your living room, throw a tarp over it, but avoid making permanent repairs until a home insurance claims adjuster inspects your home. Insurance companies can deny home insurance claims if the homeowner makes permanent repairs before the damage is inspected by a claims adjuster. Any temporary repair and labor expenses should also be submitted to the insurance company for reimbursement, so save any receipts for necessary repair purchases.
Don’t: Be A Passive Participant- when working with the insurance company, be an active participant. Take detailed notes on all contacts with your insurance company and the home insurance claims adjuster. Make sure all correspondence is in writing. Be involved with the home inspection, fill out all paperwork in a timely manner and stay in communication with the adjuster. Your chances of getting a satisfactory settlement improve when you are well-prepared and involved in the process.
Don’t: Agree to a Claim Settlement if You’re Dissatisfied- Just because you’re offered a settlement check doesn’t mean that’s your only option. If you believe your final claim settlement is unfair, you can file an appeal with the company
Don’t: Use Non-Local Contractors – Storm chasers prey on victims of large-scale disasters. These con artists ask for advance payment, perform shoddy work, and then skip town. If possible, use a local contractor with a solid reputation. It is worth it to wait for quality work rather than take what shows up at the front door.
Don’t: Dispose of damaged goods before the insurer has seen them and agreed to it – It might be tempting to start clearing up and throwing away spoiled items as soon as you can, but these will probably form part of a claim, and an insurer needs to see the items first. Keep them somewhere safe until your insurer confirms you’re ok to throw them away.
Don’t: Claim for small sums that spoil your no-claims discount – Some claims just aren’t worth making if they ruin your “Claims Free discount” (this can build up over a number of years if you don’t make a claim). Please call us so we can advise on the best way to proceed with small claims.
Don’t: Claim for small sums that are less than your deductible – It’s common sense really, but there’s no point making a claim if it’s for the same or less than the deductible you have to pay (the deductible being the first part of any claim that you have to pay). A soft recommendation is that you don’t want to make a claim for anything less than double your deductible.
Below is a list of carriers and their claims hotline numbers.
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