when making an fnol by phone ask the agent or representative about the next steps in the process and whether they need additional documentation or information from you or other parties take notes during the call 
outcomes following the fnolafter the fnol the insurance company might send a claims adjuster to inspect your losses 5 it s the adjuster s job to determine the extent of losses and how much you will receive in a settlement it s important for you to be available during the adjuster s visit particularly if you were present when the losses occurred during the visit the adjuster might ask you additional questions and take pictures of losses sometimes an insurance agent adjuster or claims representative might ask you to submit additional documentation following the fnol comply as soon as possible to ensure a smooth claim process once the provider has all the information they need it will either issue a settlement payment or deny the claim if the insurer denies your claim it must inform you why it made the decision 78 if you believe the company hasn t treated you fairly you can file a complaint with your state s department of insurance state insurance codes set time limits that insurers must meet when dealing with claims for example once you make the fnol texas providers have 15 days to collect additional information and determine the validity of your claim 5if you receive a settlement it s important to understand how the insurer determines the dollar amount many auto and home insurance policies pay actual cash value which is the depreciated value of the asset for instance if you total a five year old vehicle and carry a collision insurance policy the insurer will determine the settlement amount based on its current market value some insurance companies offer replacement cost value coverage usually as an endorsement or rider to a standard policy 9in certain cases a carrier might make more than one settlement payment especially when paying homeowners claims for instance if your home sustains storm damage the insurer might make an initial payment to help get repairs started a second payment for personal property losses and a third payment to reimburse you for final construction costs technology and the fnolover the years technology has changed the way you report insurance losses and how insurers manage claims updates many large insurance companies enable you to make the fnol using an online claim submission application or a mobile app typically providers offer mobile apps for android and apple devices the functionality of mobile apps varies by insurer but many enable you to submit a claim using a smartphone or tablet with some apps you can also submit supporting documents and photos contact your agent chat with a claims adjuster and track the status of your claim some major carriers give you the option to choose a digital claim payment rather than a traditional paper check for instance your insurer might make a settlement payment via direct deposit into your checking account or through your bank debit card typically opting for an electronic settlement will ensure a faster payment special considerations