An insurance claim can involve a lot of paperwork, so it helps to understand what documents to provide should you ever file one. For example, one of the more important items an insurance company might request is called a “Proof of Loss.”
What is a Proof of Loss?
A Proof of Loss is a legal document an insured person submits after filing a property damage claim. It includes relevant information to the claim, including how much the claimant is asking from the insurance company to cover the loss.
Most home and auto insurance policies require the document, which must be signed by the insured. Many also want the document to be notarized.
What does a Proof of Loss form include?
The form can vary depending on your insurance policy. However, many will require the following.
- Identity of the parties with interest in the property
- Policy number
- Date and cause of the loss
- Party claiming the loss
- Identification of the damaged property and documentation of the amount of claimed loss
Your insurance carrier will likely send the form to you, and you will have a given amount of time to complete it.
What happens if the form isn’t filled out correctly?
Your insurance carrier will reject your form if you’ve neglected to sign it, fill it out correctly, or have it notarized. If this happens, the company will tell you why it rejected the document and what you must do to successfully comply.
What happens if you don’t file a Proof of Loss?
Suppose you don’t submit the document within the designated period. In that case, your claim won’t be processed, and any claim you file against the company may get dismissed because of the statute of limitations.
Call your Hibbs agent if you have more questions about Proof of Loss documents or need help completing one. We want to ensure your claim is successful.
