When Your Neighbor's Mishap Affects Your Property: To Claim or Not to Claim?
Have you ever dealt with property damage caused by a neighbor—think a tree that crushed your fence, water damage from their pool mishap, or fire that jumped from their yard to yours? If so, you may have been unsure if your insurance company would cover it, or if you were supposed to ask your neighbor to pay for the damages. Nobody wants to be in this position, but here's something a lot of people don't think about: sometimes working it out directly with your neighbor actually saves you more headaches (and money), even when the damage clearly wasn't your fault.
The Rate Increase Reality
It’s important to remember that filing a claim can bump up your insurance rates, even when the damage wasn't your fault. Insurance companies pull up your claims history when they're calculating your premiums, and if you've filed multiple claims, you start looking like a risky customer. The really frustrating part? Your rates can go up no matter who was actually responsible for what happened. And if you've already filed a couple of claims recently, adding another one to the mix might make it tougher to find affordable coverage when your policy comes up for renewal.
When Direct Settlement Makes Sense
If the damage isn't too severe and your neighbor is willing to write a check for the repairs, that is often the best choice. You’ll dodge a potential rate hike, and they’ll avoid a liability claim on their insurance record. This usually works out when the costs to make the repairs aren’t too high, your neighbor accepts their responsibility, and you are able to have a good idea of what repairs are needed.
Getting It Right with Help From Missouri Public Adjusters
If you decide to handle this without involving your insurers, it’s important to document everything meticulously. Get something in writing that spells out what happened, nail down the repair costs on paper, and hang onto records of every payment. You don't want to end up in a "he said, she said" situation six months down the road.
If, on the other hand, the damage is extensive or your neighbor is giving you the runaround, filing a claim might be the only way forward. If you're not sure how bad the damage really is or whether it makes sense to claim it, you can count on our team at Edwin-Claude! We can meet you at the property, assess the situation, figure out what repairs will actually cost, and help you decide whether filing makes sense or if there's a better path forward. Sometimes, looks are deceiving, and minor damage can hide much more extensive problems underneath. Other times, something that seems catastrophic is actually fixable without getting insurance companies involved.
Call Our St. Louis Public Adjusters to Learn More!
The bottom line? You have options here, and the right path forward depends entirely on your situation. Don't let anyone push you into filing a claim if there's a reasonable way to handle it otherwise, but also, don't let someone convince you to eat the costs when you shouldn't have to. If you’re ready to get expert guidance, call us or fill out our online contact form today to speak with our professional Missouri public adjusters!
