My Claim Was "Denied" Below Deductible.

It all starts with a letter from their insurance company saying their claim is "below the deductible" and immediately assume their claim was denied.

What Does "Below the Deductible" Mean?

Your deductible is the portion of a covered loss that you are responsible for paying before your insurance company issues a payment.

For example:

• Your deductible is $5,000.

• The insurance company estimates your covered damage at $4,200.

Because the estimated damage is less than your deductible, they won't issue a payment.

This does not necessarily mean your claim was denied. On the contrary, it means the insurance accepted responsibility, in other words, they approved the claim!

The insurance company is actually saying: "We believe this loss is covered, but the damage is worth less than necessary."

That is very different from saying the damage isn't covered at all.

A Denied Claim Is Different

A denied claim means the insurance company determined that the policy does not provide coverage for the reported damage.

Some common reasons may include:

• The cause of the damage isn't covered by the policy.

• The policy exclusions apply.

• Required policy conditions were not met.

What Should You Do?

You can fight back! Dispute their decision. There are several ways, and it all comes down to what's on your policy.

• Keep photos, invoices, reports, and contractor estimates.

• Don't dispose of damaged materials unless advised it's appropriate.

• If something doesn't seem right, call us!

Don't Assume "No Payment" Means "No Claim"