After filing an insurance claim for property damage due to a natural disaster, like that from the recent flooding along the Arkansas River, your insurance company will assign an adjuster to your claim. The adjuster will assist you in the claims process – inspecting the damage, reviewing your list of lost or damaged property, and work with you to calculate the value of the items on your list. You and the adjuster should come to an agreement on the scope of damage. However, it’s not uncommon for disputes to arise over the extent of the damage, whether your property should be repaired or fully replaced, what the policy covers, or the amount for coverage.

At what point should you involve an attorney with your insurance claim dispute? If you have a good, working relationship with your insurance adjuster, if he or she is assertive, responsive, and polite, and your insurer is cooperating in trying to resolve your claim, continue working together. Hiring an attorney may not be necessary. If you find that you’ve come to a road block by becoming overly-frustrated or angry with your adjuster’s lack of communication, lack of a sense of urgency, or you strongly disagree with the insurer’s scope of damages and their costs, consider hiring an attorney. An attorney can help you get the attention and results you deserve.

After heavy rains resulted in record flooding in Arkansas over the past month, thousands of Arkansans were displaced from their homes and many more experienced property damage. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster.

If you are a victim of recent flooding in Arkansas, be sure to follow these easy steps for making the most of your insurance claim: