If you Googled 'my renters' insurance company is investigating me,' this is the right place to be! It's never a fun thing to have to claim any kind of insurance. Homeowners and renters insurance are usually fierce: you have to deal with damage or even the aftermath of a home invasion while trying to prove that you do indeed need your claim to be paid out. However, there's no reason to panic when you're informed that the claim is being investigated. This is a standard procedure with insurance companies. Otherwise, it'd be the most straightforward scam even if they paid out without checking. The investigation part of it is necessary and crucial. The part to remember is that as long as your claim is legitimate and you have evidence, you should be clear of any consequences and be eligible for a paid claim.
Questions Your Insurer May Ask
There's a variety of questions that may be asked by your insurer once an investigation of your claim begins. The healthiest, most straightforward way to combat and deal with many of these questions starts with reporting your loss in an accurate, timely manner. The insurer will look at what you say, examine the facts, and make sure everything lines up. Any inaccuracies or things that stand out will be noticed, and the insurer will probably take issue with that. Your Proof of Loss, which is the official statement that the insurer will be presented with, must be ironclad. They can ask for sworn statements, ask for you to make oaths that are legally binding. They will generally ask for information about the losses in question, the event, and other information relating to and concerning these things. Comply. It's in your best interest to do so.
Possible Investigation Consequences
A renters insurance claim investigation has many different outcomes, but there are only really two or three main ones. After investigating the claim, the first is that if the insurer finds it legitimate, you will be paid out based on the loss and your policy. The second is that if the claim is found to be illegitimate because of withheld information or false statements, you could face legal action. The third involves no legal move but means you won't be fully paid out or not at all, as the insurer will find that they are not liable to pay for the damages that you put forth in your Proof of Loss statement. Of course, the second outcome is the scariest and the easiest to avoid: tell the truth and make an accurate statement as fast as possible. Time and accuracy are the most significant parts.
Will Your Claim be Paid?
The question you ask yourself after you think 'my renters' insurance company is investigating me' is probably, 'will my claim be paid?' Depending on the situation, it may or may not be! It might not be paid at all if it doesn't fall under what the policy covers, or depending on how much money your policy covers, if the damages exceed that, they might only partially cover the total amount of losses that you incurred. If your losses are a ubiquitous procedure, or from something uncontrollable: like a fire that someone else started, or a robbery or some damage incurred from the building, it's a good chance that it will! Make sure you make your Proof of Loss accurately and fast, however. That's the best way to have the most significant opportunity to get your claim paid out.