Filing a Claim?
Here's What to Know Before They Try to Lowball You
🧾 Filing a Claim? Here's What to Know Before They Try to Lowball You
You paid your premiums. You played by the rules. Now it's your turn to file a claim—and you deserve to get every dollar you’re owed.
But let’s be real.
Insurance companies are trained to delay, deny, or downplay your claim. If you walk in unprepared, you’re walking into a trap.
Here’s your step-by-step guide for filing a claim the right way—plus what to do when it’s time to escalate.
✅ Step 1: Before You File – Get Your Ducks in a Row
📆 When: As soon as possible after the incident (ideally within 24–48 hours).
📸 What to gather:
Photos/video of the damage
Police report (if applicable)
Receipts, appraisals, or proof of value
Your full policy (including the fine print)
Timeline of events
🗂️ Where to organize it:
Use a cloud folder (Google Drive, Dropbox) or a physical binder
Include a journal with dates/times of every interaction
📝 Step 2: Filing the Claim – Tell the Truth, but Tell it Clearly
Who you talk to: File directly with your insurer (online portal or claims hotline). You can call your agent, if he is good, he will spend time to explain the procedure, yet most of them will simply forward you to a 1-800 claims number.
How to talk:
Be clear, calm, and factual
Don’t speculate (“maybe it started in the attic”)
Stick to “what happened,” “what was damaged,” and “what it’s worth”
Pro tip: Get a claim number, the adjuster’s name, and document everything. Every call. Every email. Every promise.
📞 Step 3: Following Up – Don’t Just Sit and Wait
When to follow up:
If you haven’t heard anything in 3 business days
If a promised call or inspection doesn’t happen
If you get vague answers or new “requirements”
What to say:
“What is the status of my claim?”
“When will I receive a written determination?”
“What documentation do you still need from me?”
Where to escalate:
Ask for a supervisor
File a complaint with your state’s Department of Insurance
Copy in an attorney or public adjuster (even just CC’ing one can shake things up)
📢 Step 3.5: Don’t Go It Alone – Tap into Inssux
Before you call a lawyer, join us.
Inssux.com was built for people just like you—regular folks trying to get a fair shake after filing a claim.
We’ll help you to help yourself to:
Understand your policy and the insurer’s obligations
Strategize your next steps (without immediately going legal)
Write stronger complaint letters or escalation emails
Document everything in a way that holds up if things go sideways
💬 Request a free consultation with Jack D. Hapsburg and Claim Dude—our AI-powered claims assistant trained on real-world insurance tactics.
The goal? Help yourself before you have to pay someone else to do it.
⚖️ Step 4: When to Put the Pen Down & Lawyer Up
If any of these apply, it’s time to stop playing nice:
The insurer denies your claim with vague or shifting explanations
The payout offer is insultingly low
The delay drags on for weeks (or months)
You’re being asked to sign confusing forms or waivers
You feel overwhelmed, anxious, or confused
👨⚖️ Step 5: Finding the Right Lawyer
Where to look:
Your state’s Bar Association (for licensed attorneys)
NAPIA.org (for public adjusters and legal allies)
LegalMatch, Avvo, or Justia (read reviews)
Ask around in Facebook groups, Reddit, or right here at Inssux
How to vet them:
Do they specialize in insurance claim disputes?
Do they work on contingency (you don’t pay unless they win)?
Have they fought your insurer before?
Bonus Tip: If you're low on funds, look for pro bono clinics, legal aid, or state-backed consumer advocacy programs. The right lawyer may change the game—especially if the insurer knows they’ve got a fighter on their hands.