Adjuster Assigned
A few days after the sinkhole claim is filed, you will likely get a telephone call from an adjuster representing your insurance company. Some adjusters are employees of the insurance companies, while others might be independent adjusters that work with your insurance company on an outsourcing basis. They will want to schedule a time to visit your home and inspect it, as well as talk to you.

Adjuster Inspection
Get ready for the Adjuster's inspection of your home. Often the adjuster will take pictures, so make sure your home is clean, neat and tidy looking - always assume the worst case scenario - that one day a picture of your home could end up in court! Make sure your home looks well kept and taken care of - juries like homeowners who take care of their home!

Think through what you will tell the adjuster when they arrive - remember, this is not a social call and the adjuster is not your friendly neighbor stopping by for a visit. The adjuster has a job to do, and he or she works for the insurance company, not for you. You need to be very careful to not say anything to harm your sinkhole claim. Some insurance adjusters ask questions designed to trick a homeowner into claiming damage is older, or existed at the purchase of the home - which gives the insurance company an excuse to deny the claim.

During the adjuster's inspection, be careful what you say, and say as little as possible! Adjusters are trained about types of questions to ask, so what might seem like pleasant chit chat could really be pointed questions designed to get you to reveal information that might harm your claim.

Listen to the adjuster's questions, and think before you answer them. If you don't know an answer, say you don't know! If you don't remember something, say you don't remember! This is not a game show and there are no points for getting the most questions right.

Call For Help
Don't be afraid to pick up the phone and call SinkTeam for help during the claims process! The SinkTeam will answer your questions and discuss your claim for FREE during a phone consultation - regardless of whether you decide for SinkTeam to represent you or not! Call 813-435-1616 today!

Never, Ever, For Any Reason Whatsoever Guess!!!!
Guessing and speculating cannot help you - this isn't a TV quiz show! If you are not certain about something, simply say you don't know or you don't remember. "I don't know" and "I don't remember" are perfectly acceptable answers if you don't know or don't remember. Guessing can only hurt your claim.

Too Much Info Is Too Much
You have an obligation to cooperate with your insurance company during the investigation - but you don't want to do anything to give the insurance company cause to deny your claim, either! When answering questions the adjuster asks you, listen carefully, think about the answer, and only answer what was asked.

For instance, if you noticed cracks on your wall while mowing the grass two weeks ago, and the adjuster asks you, "When did you first notice the cracks on your wall?" you should answer, "I noticed them two weeks ago."

You should NOT answer "I saw them two weeks ago, but I can't remember if they were there before or not - but you know, it's possible they were there months ago - heck, it's possible they were there when I bought the home! I just don't remember."

What's wrong with that answer?

The adjuster will note in his report that "Homeowner states cracks may have been there prior to purchase of home." And a few weeks or months later you may get a letter in the mail denying your claim due to a preexisting condition - e.g. the cracks were there when you first bought the home.

You are only required to answer questions about facts you know - and in that scenario, all the homeowner knew was that the cracks were first noticed two weeks ago. Everything else is pure speculation, or guessing. And by guessing, the homeowner harmed himself! Don't guess!

After Adjuster's Visit
After about an hour, the adjuster will leave. Within a week or two you will likely receive a phone call or a letter from the adjuster telling you he or she has arranged for a testing company to come to your home to do testing. You may also get a call from the testing company to set up a time for their visit.

Discuss Your Case For Free
If you have any questions - before, during or after the investigation of your home, don't be afraid to pick up the phone and discuss your case with the SinkTeam. The SinkTeam has years of experience assisting homeowners in sinkhole related matters, having represented over 500 homeowners in sinkhole claims. Call the SinkTeam today for a FREE telephone conversation or to arrange for a meeting to discuss your matter at 813-435-1616.