Earthquake Insurance

14 Do not delay reporting your claim! An insurance company can deny claims that are not reported within one year. The year starts with a date called the inception of the loss . This is when you first: • Noticed property damage, or • Should have noticed it, if you had looked carefully for all possible earthquake damage to your home. Your Claims Payment If your claim is larger than your deductible, the insurance company will subtract the deductible from their payment. You do not need to spend anything before you can get payment. Contact California Department of Insurance (CDI). • Call CDI now if your insurance company refuses to open a claim. Call 1-800-927-4357. • Download CDI’s Residential Property Claims Guide at www.insurance.ca.gov or order it by phone. Telephone Tips Take notes on every phone call to your insurance company. Write down: • The name and title of the person you talked to. • The date and time you called. • What you talked about. • What the person said would happen next.