Suppose you have sustained covered damages of loss to your residential or commercial property and have filed a property damage claim. In that case, your insurance company may request that you submit proof of loss under oath. While insurers may not always request a proof of loss statement from the insured, this is not something you can ignore if they do ask for it.

Under Florida Law, the insured must provide proof of loss information upon the insurance company’s request. But what is proof of loss, and how does it impact your property damage claim?

What is Proof of Loss?

Proof of loss is a statement made under oath by the insured. This statement attempts to provide the insurance company with relevant information about your property damage claim. In many cases, proof of loss requirements is built into the terms of a property damage insurance policy. Therefore, a covered loss will automatically trigger the proof of loss requirement, and you will be required to submit a sworn proof of loss statement within 30 to 60 days after the damage has occurred.

If you fail to provide proof of loss information within the pre-established timeline, the insurance company retains the right to decline your claim and refuse to cover your losses. Moreover, failure to provide a Proof of Loss may preclude you from filing a lawsuit against your insurance company over your property damage claim.

Why is Proof of Loss Requirements Important?

Since insurance companies receive hundreds, if not thousands, of property damage claims each year, proof of loss requirements helps insurance companies evaluate the extent and scope of damages to various properties. Simply put, if you have received a proof of loss request, it does not mean your claim is about to be denied. Rather it means your insurance company is seeking additional information about your claim. However, you should not take their request lightly & should provide the proof of loss to explain the scope and extent of your damages in great detail, so that you can get full and fair compensation for your property loss. Since this is likely the first document that your insurance company receives that includes specific details about your claim, it is in your best interest to comply with the Proof of Loss requirements to help move your claim forward. If you fail to respond to your property insurance company’s Proof of Loss request, you are giving your insurance company a valid reason to deny your claim.

In most cases, the insurance company will provide you with a list of relevant questions that you must answer in your proof of loss statement. Relevant information to include in your proof of loss statement includes the time, date, the cause(s) of loss, names of people with title interest in the property, repair estimates in detail, an inventory of damaged property, and receipts for any expenses incurred as a consequence of the loss.

Consumer Law Office – Handling Property Insurance Disputes From Start to Settlement

If your insurance company requires you to provide a proof of loss statement following the submission of your property damage claim & you are not sure how to fill it out or are unsure whether or not to provide certain documents or information, you should speak to a Florida Property Damage Attorney at the Consumer Law Office (CLO). The team at CLO are highly experienced, knowledgeable and aggressive Florida attorneys and can help you navigate the proof of loss statement to ensure that you comply with the proof of loss requirements. Our attorneys at Consumer Law Office understand that waiting around for the insurance company to engage in its classic delay tactics is something you cannot afford to do after facing damage to your residential or commercial property. Property damage can have an impact on your quality of life, peace of mind & your financials, so we understand how important it is to resolve your insurance disputes favorably & quickly.

Consumer law Office is a client-centric law firm committed to achieving rapid results through aggressive litigation for fast settlement or even conclusion at trial if necessary. We help our clients understand their insurance coverage and protect their rights and interests in a coverage dispute.

Your insurance company has the resources to hire experts to protect their interests; your representation should be no different. At The Consumer Law Office, we got your back from start to settlement!