when a loss occurs contact your insurer as soon as possible if you intend to file a claim the quicker you report a loss the faster you ll receive a settlement payment some insurance companies recommend or require a fnol within a certain period for example a provider might recommend submitting a homeowners claim within six months of the incident that caused the loss 10 check the fine print of your insurance policies to determine whether your insurer sets a time limit on filing claims 
be aware that your claims history is one factor insurance companies use when setting rates filing a single claim might not cause a rate increase for instance you might not face a rate increase following a storm damage claim however if you file an auto collision insurance claim for an accident deemed your fault you ll likely see a rate increase keep this in mind before making a fnol if you can afford to pay for losses out of pocket it could save you money overall 