Is It Possible To Get Coverage After You Have Filed Three Claims?

Having been through a disastrous incident, filing for a claim from your insurance company is a simple decision to make. But filing for a claim due to other reasons will be a risky situation and might have you registered in a database that will make it difficult for you to obtain future insurance coverage.

There are two types of major databases that register homeowner’s claims. These are “The Claim Loss Underwriting Exchange or CLUE” and “Automated Property Loss Underwriting System (A-PLUS). There are three types of claims that can have you registered in one of these databases. These are Water damage claims, Dog Bite claims and Slips and fall claims.

First is the water damage claims. These are smaller leaks that can cause mold in your home. A mold is not a good thing for insurers. For one, it can cause all sorts of illness, and a lot of insurance companies have removed it from their policies. Water leaks or water damages are either caused by poor construction or inadequate maintenance practices. These can cause more problems for your home in the future.

Second claim to avoid is the dog bite claims. One – third of all homeowner’s claims are because of dog bites, according to Insurance Information Institute. In 2008, $387.20 million was spent due to 800,000 bites that needed medical attention. Most of the incident occurred in the insured’s property.

Insurance companies have a list of breeds that are most likely to hurt somebody else, and if your dog is one of them, then it’s possible that your insurance rates will increase. Even if you only have a single claim due to dog bite, your premium is sure to increase. You can, however, lessen this insurance rate increase by hiring an animal trainer. Other than that, consider giving your dog to a new home.

Lastly, the slip and fall claims. This is one of the reasons people are in the emergency room, and this is something that can be prevented. If another person slipped on your front steps and filed a claim against your insurance company, your premiums will definitely increase.

Insurance companies are right to increase your premiums, if the above-mentioned were the reason for your claims. Most of these claims are preventable, not totally, but can be. Water damage can be avoided by proper maintenance of your house or having a reputable construction build your home. Dog bites are avoided by having your dog socially trained. While slips and falls can be avoided by installing handrails or rubber rags.

After filing for three consecutive claims, you can still acquire new coverage. However, it’s either your premium will be a lot higher, it will be difficult for you to find other insurers or your coverage will be a lot lesser, depending on the nature of your previous claims. If one of your claims is caused by water damage, dog bites or slips and falls, chances are it will be harder for you to get covered. Be sure to prevent such accidents.