Claim Reporting: How to Get Your Money Fast
Obviously, no one wants to find themselves in a claim situation of any kind, especially something serious or high dollar. Most people have an “it’ll never happen to me” mindset, but the truth is, accidents do happen, and they happen with higher frequency than people think. If it “never happened,” then there wouldn’t be a need for insurance! That said, when you find yourself in a situation where you need to use your insurance, it’s typically a result of an unexpected blink-of-the-eye occurrence. After collecting your thoughts, taking mental inventory, and reacting appropriately, your next call should always be to your agent, who will get the ball rolling right away and often have an adjuster on-site within a day or two.
The next phase of the process is the most critical in terms of prompt handling and quick payment. It’s the document phase. In ANY hull loss, be expected to produce all documents related to the aircraft, including, but not limited to, registration, airworthiness certificate, pilot’s log book, and pilot’s license and medical. These will be in addition to the carrier’s claim forms, the shop’s repair estimates, and your photos. Because of this, you can see that the claims process is largely in the hands of the policyholder when it comes to promptness in handling. The quicker these items are gathered and sent to the adjuster, the quicker your claim check will be en route. In certain cases, we’ve had claim checks in hand within a week of the incident!