Most people would expect their insurance company to be right at their side, ready to assist when their home is horribly damaged in a natural disaster such as a hurricane. When you buy property insurance, you have the hope that if you lose your home or deal with extensive damages, your homeowner’s policy would be quickly looked at and studied to investigate your current claim and recover your losses fairly. Unfortunately, the insurance companies usually have one thing in mind, the profit is of greater interest than the claim.
Reliable and Experienced in Property Damage Claims
If you have recently filed an insurance claim, are fighting for coverage, or pursuing a bad faith claim against the insurance company, our law firm can assist you in a large variety of insurance claim disputes.
Our Pensacola property damage attorneys are well versed when dealing with insurance companies and the tactics they use to delay, deny, and defend against insurance damage claims. That experience will be put to work for you on your claim when you call us. It will cost you nothing to hire our firm and we are only paid if we win your case.
Whether your property has been damaged by a hurricane, storm, or another weather-related incident, the insurance companies often deny insurance claims or will refuse to pay the total value of your damages. In Florida, there are specific laws that govern how an insurance company needs to handle your damage claim. We are the ones who know how to navigate through these laws.
Laws for Insurance Claims
Insurance Companies have to follow very specific guidelines that are set forth by Florida. Some of these must-follow laws include estimating and paying on an insurance damage claim and the investigation process involved. Unfortunately, these laws are ignored time and time again by insurance companies. They either hope you as the policyholder don’t understand your rights or they persuade you to do what is favorable for them. With over 20 years of legal experience, we have assisted many homeowners in Florida with their claims and have maximized their insurance policy recoveries.
Choosing a Lawyer Who’s Familiar With Insurance Disputes
Our firm gathers a great deal of information and we routinely handle estates throughout Pensacola and the surrounding counties. We know how to assist our clients by providing full-service reinforcement or execution of important processes such as filing court documents, distributing assets, communicating appropriately with courts, and the list goes on.
There are many law firms surrounding Pensacola and the west side of Florida. How each firm handles these important legal matters like property damage claims, storm damage claims, or personal injury claims will reflect on what kind of law firm you’re dealing with. Here are a few questions to consider for yourself and those you are interested in handling your insurance dispute case.
Property Insurance Claims for Storm Damages
There have been some significantly damaging hurricanes that have hit Florida in the past and currently. When your house, business property, or condo has suffered damage from a tornado, storm, or another natural disaster it’s important to protect your property by acting as quickly as possible. Your ability to pursue a property insurance claim for the repairs is critical and of the utmost importance. This immediate action can almost guarantee less continued damage from being further exposed to nature’s elements
If you study your property insurance policy closely, you are usually required to give notice to the insurance carrier right away once the damages have occurred. The insurance carrier could claim that it was “prejudiced” by your delay in contacting them on your claim if you wait too long to do so. They can also attempt to deny covering you as a result. Below are a few steps you can take to protect yourself in the event of damages to your property.
What Does Your Policy Cover?
As a policyholder, you need to know the coverages on your policy and that they usually cover more than just damage repairs to the home. If you need to be out of your home for repairs to take place, your policy could cover ALE, Alternative Living Expenses. ALW should reimburse the cost of you living somewhere else while damages are underway.
Carefully Choose A Repair Company
The insurance companies will try to limit your selection of repair contractors, don’t let them! You have the right to choose the most qualified contractors and they don’t even have to be cheap.
The insurance companies have preferred vendors that save them a lot of money but you have to do what is best for your situation.
Get Everything In Writing
Documentation is so critical in situations like this. If you document all communications you will avoid conflicts or other misunderstandings that can arise.
Ask For A Copy Of The Repair Estimate From the Insurance Company
You will need to review the repair estimate to make certain there are not missing damages. An evaluation can be made by a property damage lawyer along with a public adjuster or insurance claim professional to evaluate the costs in the estimate.
Make Sure To Take Lots of Pictures
How does the insurance company know what the damage really looked like right after a disaster has struck? You can have proof of the evidence and condition of your property that was damaged along with more personal property such as furniture, electronics, and clothing. That way there is no question as to what was actually damaged or not replaceable.
Approve Vendor Contractors
Incurring the cost of repairs yourself is not something you want to happen. So, before signing with any vendor contractor, make sure they are approved by the insurance company. Recourse is always an option if the insurance company refuses but it is better to check with them first to avoid further steps that have to be taken.
Our Pensacola property damage claims attorney can successfully file an insurance claim for you. We have effectively represented the interests of our clients when the insurance companies, again and again, refuse to pay up on their end. This navigation process is as stress-free as possible by having one of our lawyers on your side guiding you through the process.