From DIY projects around the house to learning a whole new set of skills just to say that you did, you’re the type that likes to do things yourself! And chances are when a disaster causes damage to your home, your first intuition may be to make all the repairs yourself and get your insurer to pay you to fix it. But is that a good idea? Is it even possible?
Luckily, our loss experts at Liberty Insurance Adjusters are here to clear this up and answer any questions you may have about doing your own repairs following a claim.
Evaluating the Repairs
Before you can do any repairs, you’ll need to know how much your insurance is going to help cover.
In most cases, your insurance company will send out their own claims adjuster to evaluate the damage and determine how much they will pay for the repairs. When the insurance company sends out their own evaluator, it’s best to have someone on your side, representing you throughout the process.
Reaching out to a public adjuster before filing your claim protects you from being taken advantage of and getting an undervalued claim! Many insurance companies are now adding appraisal contingencies to their policies, so as a homeowner you will have to pay to have the damages assessed, either way.
If you get a settlement offer and aren’t happy with the evaluation, you may regret not hiring a public adjuster first. Let’s say you got $3K for repairs from your insurer already, a public adjuster can’t just come in after the fact and get you another $10K. The public adjuster can maybe help add a few thousand onto that claim for the repairs, but not nearly as much as if you worked with a professional from the start.
Is it Possible to Do Your Own Repairs?
Once the settlement amount is agreed upon, if you are looking to DIY the repairs, you must review your policy and make sure it is allowed.
Generally, there are conditions in insurance policies that you should understand beforehand. For instance, you may not be able to do your own repairs if you are still making mortgage payments, as the bank may require a professional to protect their investment.
But Should You?
In the case that you are allowed to do your own repairs… should you?
It’s easy to jump into something without enough consideration and end up over your head. There are a lot of obstacles when starting out that will take time, and most importantly money, to figure out.
It’s ok not to be an expert yourself, but when it comes to dealing with insurance, you want to have the best chance possible to get the money you deserve! The insurer will require that the property is restored to pre-loss condition, so if they don’t deem your work as up to their standards, it could hurt your chances should a loss occur in the future.
Pros of Doing the Repairs Yourself
Of course, caution to the wind, there are some benefits to doing the repairs yourself if you know what you are doing. By saving on labor costs that come along with hiring contractors, you could maximize your settlement and put any bit extra towards other property improvements. But just because you aren’t paying for labor, doesn’t mean you aren’t paying for it with your own time.
We always recommend leaning on the support of experts especially in a stressful time like dealing with an insurance claim. Pick a professional you trust to do the work in a reasonable timeframe to prevent the possibility of more property damage.
Lean On Liberty
Going through a disaster that damages your home is very stressful, so it’s nice to not have to worry about your repairs too. But, if you are the type to want to repair it all yourself, there are ways you may be able to do that through your insurance, granted it is allowed per your policy.
One thing is for sure, before you make your claim you should always call a licensed public adjuster, like us to represent you and get you the settlement you deserve.
Submit a claim online or call our public claims adjusters at Liberty Insurance Adjusters today to get started; 813-922-5129!