Should you even file the claim?

Run the math first

• What's the damage, really? Get a repair number.

• Subtract your deductible. If damage is $3,500 and your deductible is $2,500, you're filing for $1,000.

• Ask if that $1,000 is worth it. A filed claim can raise your renewal for years and can push a carrier to non-renew you. A four-figure payout often isn't worth that.

Small property claims you can absorb are usually better paid out of pocket. Big ones are exactly what insurance is for.

When you should file, no hesitation

• Anyone got hurt. Injury and liability claims can run into six or seven figures. File.

• The loss is large or catastrophic. Fire, major water damage, structural. File.

• A third party is involved. If someone might come after you, your policy needs to be on notice.

When to think twice

• Minor damage close to your deductible.

• A cosmetic issue you can live with or fix cheaply.

• Your second or third small claim in a short window. Frequency scares carriers more than size.

One habit that saves money

Call your broker before you call the carrier. A question to us is not a claim. We'll tell you whether it's worth filing, what it'll likely do to your renewal, and whether you're even covered for it.

Claims follow you for years on your loss history. Spend one before you have to, and you may pay for it long after the repair is done.