More Than A Number

If you have an accident that causes damage to your home, car or other property, don’t apologize to your home insurance provider or the other person involved in the accident – literally! This apology can be taken as a sign of liability and used by some homeowners or auto insurance providers as a reason to deny a claim, causing you untold headaches and legal bills as you try to sort out the details.

For example, if a branch from your tree falls onto your neighbor’s driveway and crushes their car, experts say that apologizing to him or her is the worst thing that you could do. This apology could be used against you when a claim is filed as proof that the accident was “your fault,” leading to a negative judgment and trouble getting a cheap home insurance online quote in the future.

One common example that delays or derails claims in insurance for the home is with floods. A burst pipe might feel like a flood, but it really isn’t. However, if you use the term “flood” during a call to your agent, that could lead to the claim being denied since it would then fall under “flood insurance.”