What If Your Home Insurer Says You’re Inflating a Claim?

One of the biggest differences between a claim value and retail prices was in the purse department. The data showed that the average claim value for a purse came in at $448 dollars which seemed unlikely to the folks at Enservio. It turns out that the average retail price for a purse was a mere $65.

A recent report by Enservio Inc, a company that helps insurers settle contents claims on homeowners policies, found that claimants often report a value for their damaged or stolen belongings that is almost double the retail price.

While the report does not provide proof that customers are lying about the value of their contents to get a bigger payout, its possible that insurers could examine future claims a bit closer based on the report. Enservio came across the pattern while doing a statistical analysis of their data warehouse which is composed of information concerning billions of dollars in claims.

Enservio, compared the average value of specific items on claims against the retail prices which they updated on a daily basis, pulling prices from hundreds of retailers. The findings were surprising and could have an effect on the way insurers handle homeowner claims in the future.

High Priced Items

One of the biggest differences between a claim value and retail prices was in the purse department. The data showed that the average claim value for a purse came in at $448 dollars which seemed unlikely to the folks at Enservio. It turns out that the average retail price for a purse was a mere $65.

Here are a few of the other more commonly claimed items where the claimed value was much higher than the average retail price:

• Laptops – Average claim value was $772, almost double the average retail price of $456.
• Rings – The average settled claim value came in as $834 or roughly twice the average retail cost of $350.
• Rifles – While the average retail cost was $430, insurers pay out an average of $578.

While all of this makes policyholders seem dishonest there are other factors that come on to play said Enservio executives. Many policyholders have transitioned to a higher deductible in order to lower their insurance costs which means that they will offer pay small losses out of pocket and save their insurance for bigger claims in order to avoid an increase in their premium.

The data also noticed a couple of interesting trends as far as the timing of theft claims. Burglary claims have grown at 2 to 3 percent above inflation for the last few years. Claims seem to increase dramatically in April, September and December which coincide with when taxes are due, back to school and of course the end of year holidays. All times when people may need a little extra money.

Slow Down the Process

While insurers tend to fast track low value claims during the busy months, Enservio is advising their clients to step back and take additional time during the busy months in order to make sure claims are fair and honest.

They are also telling insurers to flag claims for further investigation if the claim amount differs dramatically from the average retail prices. Claimants should be asked to provide a receipt or other proof of cost if the claim seems questionable.

It seems that insurers are listening. Insurance companies are referring more claims to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) in the last few years. Suspicious claims increased 46 percent from 2010 to 2012. The majority of the claims were homeowner claims.

A Few Tips

Following are three helpful tips on how to file a successful homeowners claim:

1. Keep an Inventory – In the event of a catastrophic loss it can be difficult to remember everything that was lost, a complete inventory will help with that. There are a number of apps that can help you keep track of your contents as well as record serial numbers and price paid. Your inventory should include photos or video.  Be sure to keep a copy in safe place offsite.
2. Keep Your Receipts – The best way to prove what you paid for an item is to keep your receipts. If it is a high value item, have it appraised. Take photos of your receipts and keep them in the cloud or somewhere off site.
3. Review your coverage – Be sure that you have the proper coverage. If you recently downsized your house but not your contents, you could be underinsured. In addition, high value items may be capped at a certain dollar amount so if you have a large number of antiques, jewelry, or art you may need a rider to be properly covered.