Insurance Claim Services

Dealing with home damage can feel overwhelming, especially navigating insurance claims to get your repair work covered. Storms and fires happen, but we can help you mitigate the damage and get back to your life. When working with insurance claims, it is just as important to find a contractor that’s familiar with the insurance claim process as they are with the work that needs to be done.

Call Big Fish First

Understanding how to work with insurance companies comes through experience and a willingness to do it. There are not many contractors who can, or are willing to arbitrate your insurance claims, verify quotes and payments, and ensure your repair happens in a timely manner. At Big Fish Contracting, we’ve got over two decades of experience working with insurance companies and we’re ready to help you navigate the process.

Full Service Renovation Capabilities

Acting as a liaison between you and the insurance company, Big Fish Contracting will thoroughly evaluate the damage, create an accurate quote for renovation, and communicate your needs to your insurance representative. We will help your claims adjuster through any questions to get your project approved faster. Once an agreement is made, we begin work on your renovation.

Because we are a full service interior and exterior renovation contractor, we not only handle all aspects of the claim, we work with vetted emergency disaster companies to cover all remediation work. In order to ensure the integrity of your renovation, we make sure all moisture, mold, smoke damage, and fire damage is removed before beginning construction.

Dealing with Hail Damage

Wisconsin is notorious for tough seasonal changes which cause dramatic shifts in temperature leading to more hail storms than normal. Hail can damage all forms of roofing materials, from asphalt to metal. Whether stripping materials of their protective outer layer or creating pits and dents that become more susceptible to the elements, hail damage can have lasting affects on a roof and requires immediate attention.

What Do I Do If I Have Hail Damage?

Wind, Water, and Fire Damage

While hail storms are the most common cause of home damage in Southeastern Wisconsin, homeowners may face interior or structural damage from wind, water, or fire. It’s important to identify damage early and reach out to Big Fish Contracting for immediate assistance.

Identifying Wind Damage

Intense winds are most likely to affect the integrity of your roof, although loose siding, shudders, and trim can also face damage. After major storms, it’s important to evaluate the exterior of your home for any physical damage. Look for missing or loose shingles, siding, or trim and take note of any cracks. Fallen branches, stray debris, and fallen power lines can also damage your home. NOTE: if you take notice of a fallen power line, please call WPS at 800-450-7240. Never touch a down power line, even if you don’t see sparks. If someone is touching a down power line, do not touch them. If you come across a car that’s hit a utility pole, stay away; it may have a down power line on it. (WPS) If you see any of these signs, contact Big Fish Contracting to help navigate your insurance claim and repairs.

Identifying Water Damage

It can take some time for water damage to become apparent. You may start to detect the distinct odor of dampness that is sometimes accompanied by the musky smell of mold. You can also look for dipping or leaking that leave small puddles or streaks down interior or exterior walls. If you’re finding that your home has become more difficult to heat, it’s likely that there is water damage affecting your walls, causing evaporation and drawing heat from their surface. Mold is also a sure sign of water damage because it thrives in damp environments. If you notice any of these signs or are experiencing a combination of these issues, contact us right away to evaluate the problem and find a solution.

Fire Damage

Fire damage is the easiest to identify as it is the direct result of unintentional or uncontrolled fire. Whether a fireplace got out of control or a neighboring structure burnt down, there is likely to be smoke damage affecting the color, materials, and adhesives of your home. Interior fires can be caused by faulty electrical, appliances, or open source flames and can cause severe structural damage to the interior finishings, walls, and foundational structure of your home. If you have experienced any damage due to fire, it is important to work with a contractor like Big Fish to find the right emergency disaster relief company to remediate any damages and rebuilt with confidence.

How to File an Insurance Claim

First, you’ll need to find your homeowner’s insurance policy number and your deductible amount. Then gather documentation of the damage, which you collected previously, preferably right after the storm. Call your homeowner’s insurance claim number and follow the instructions from there.

After receiving a claim number, make an appointment with your insurance adjuster.

It is a good idea to share your documentation of the damage with your adjuster.
If possible, ask your roofing contractor to meet with your insurance adjuster to compare their findings of the damage.

The adjuster will share findings with the claim examiner, who will review all of the information together and relay the final decision and price to you. You will then use the claim check to pay your contractor to either repair or replace your roof.