If a winter storm has damaged your commercial building, you'll need to file an insurance claim as soon as possible. The insurance company can't move forward until you file an official claim for damages. If you wait too long, you might not receive compensation at all. This is especially true if you miss the filing deadlines. If you've never dealt with storm damage before, you might not know what steps you need to take. Read the list provided below. You'll find four steps that will help you through the claims process with your commercial property insurance provider. 

Assess the Damages

If you're dealing with storm damage, the first thing you need to do is assess the damage. This can be a time-consuming process, so you need to start right away. To assess the damages, you'll need to document every item that the storm damaged or destroyed. You should also include an estimated value for each item that's damaged or destroyed, if possible. This information can help speed up the claims process. 

Take the Right Photos

If you need to file a claim for damages to your commercial property, you need to take photos first. You might think you can file a claim without the photos, but that's not the case. Your insurance company needs to see the extent of the damages before they send someone out. But you also want to keep a copy of the photos with your own records. That way you can dispute any potential issues with your claim. 

Document Ownership

Once you've filed the claim, and taken photos, you might think you're done with your end of the claims process. That's not the case though. You still need to document ownership for everything you've listed on your commercial property insurance claim. If you have receipts for your property, gather those right away. If you don't have receipts, gather your credit card statements or bank statements. They'll show proof of purchase. 

Obtain Repair Quotes

If you've filed a claim for damages to your commercial property, now's the time to call for repair quotes. The insurance company will want to know how much the repairs will cost before they authorize the work. It's a good idea to request quotes from a couple of different companies. That way the insurance company has several options. This is the same for any equipment you need to replace. Providing replacement quotes will help you get fair compensation for your equipment.

For more information, reach out to a commercial property insurance provider near you.