The garage door repair Orange County companies commonly perform can be covered by home insurance. The trick is determining what to claim. Not everything that can be claimed should be claimed. Nevertheless, many homeowners have decided to not file a claim only to regret that decision when they realize what the repair entails.

Get a Written Estimate

Most garage door installation and repair companies provide written estimates in advance of all work. Possessing this document can help immensely in the event that you decide to file a claim. Having multiple estimates generally won’t help with an adjuster. The provider can get that information if needed. If you feel uncomfortable with a particular estimate, then obtaining additional ones can be beneficial.

Document Everything

Using a camera or smartphone, take digital pictures of all the damage. Take these photos from many different angles. It’s better to have too many images than not enough. You can sort through these files later and determine which ones are appropriate to include with your insurance claim.

Identify What’s Covered

Know what’s covered. Itemize the repairs and have the service company give you separate bills if needed. If a tree has truck your garage door, but you’re replacing your opener because it’s old, only the first part of that job is covered. Including it all simply diminishes the likelihood that the claim will be accepted.

Contact Your Insurance Provider

Contact your insurance provider as soon as you recognize that you may want to make a claim. Explain that you didn’t want to make an insignificant claim but that the actual repair was larger than expected. Depending on how far along the garage repair or installation is, the company may want to send an adjuster. In many cases, there’s simply a document that you can access on a website or by email or fax. Complete it with as much detail as possible and include the most informative photos you took.