Hurricane damage can be catastrophic, possibly destroying all of your possessions and property to the point of irreparable loss. While your homeowners insurance should cover storm damage, the claims procedure isn't always straightforward.
Insurance companies can complicate the claims procedure, often using denial-and-delay tactics. Fortunately, an Orlando hurricane damage lawyer with Dolman Law Group can assist you in filing your claim and obtaining a reasonable settlement based on your coverage and losses.
You May Need to File Multiple Insurance Claims
As a result of the extensive damage that hurricanes can cause, you may need to file multiple claims for the following:
Insurance Companies May Try to Lowball You
Insurance companies and their strategies are the most significant barrier to receiving reimbursement. We are familiar with the issues that emerge during the claims process. Here are a few of the most common ones:
1. Denying Claims
Many insurance contracts include a slew of limits and exclusions that can be difficult to understand. Insurance firms may try to discover ways to refuse all or part of policyholders' claims to protect their bottom line.
2. Delaying Claims
Unnecessary delays are one of the most prevalent concerns we notice, preventing you from settling your claim. More specifically, insurance companies may:
- Request additional paperwork over and over again without much clarity on what they're trying to do
- Not reply to calls or emails from you
- Not arrange an inspection as soon as possible
- Assign adjusters who spend little time assessing your home and may overlook damaged items
3. Underpaying Claims
During hurricane season, insurance companies are known for underpaying claims. Unfortunately, many property owners accept their insurer's initial offer too quickly because they feel they need to have money immediately. They only realize they've made a mistake when they discover the provided money isn't enough to fix their house or business adequately.
There are various examples of how underpaying claims might look, including:
- A minimal amount of repair:Instead of fully fixing any damage, insurance companies prefer that the homeowner patch it up. For instance, instead of replacing your flooring, they may only agree to repair a portion of it. In reality, you must restore your property rather than settling for a patched-up, mismatched floor.
- Unrepaired items:Insurance companies may overlook various broken things during their inspections. They may exploit it to their advantage if homeowners don't fight back.
- Pricing issues: During a hurricane season, the cost of materials, labor, and other necessities that influence the cost of reconstruction generally soar. However, insurance firms often base their pricing models that are irrelevant to the circumstances on the ground, resulting in payments that don't represent real-world prices.
Dealing with insurance companies may be difficult, especially if you don't have legal training or experience. If you think your insurance company is delaying or underpaying your claim, an Orlando storm damage lawyer on our team can help.
How an Orlando Hurricane Damage Lawyer with Dolman Law Group Can Help
It's natural to feel frustrated and overwhelmed while dealing with insurance claims. With the help of an Orlando injury lawyer from Dolman Law Group, you can have somebody who can do various tasks for you, such as:
- Gathering evidence of the damage
- Assisting you in navigating your insurance policy and identifying all relevant coverages
- Reviewing your claim, hiring specialists to evaluate your losses accurately, and fighting for the reimbursement you deserve
- Helping you file an appeal if the insurance company denied your initial claim
- Fighting for you in court if the insurance company refuses to provide you with reasonable compensation
Whether you need us in the middle of your claim or from the start, you can count on us to represent you.
What to Do Immediately When a Hurricane Strikes
Hurricanes may cause structural damage, mildew, and other issues that render your home unusable, so you'll want to make sure you obtain the money you need as soon as possible. Home and business owners should take the following steps to guarantee that this happens:
- Obtain as much proof as possible of all damages, including photographs of the damage as well as receipts and invoices if you need to pay out-of-pocket expenses.
- Make a detailed note of the items that have been damaged.
- Keep track of all of your extra living costs due to the hurricane.
- Keep track of your correspondence with the insurance company.
- Consider calling your free consultation with Dolman Law Group.
The Orlando personal injury attorneys from Dolman Law Group can assist you with every stage of the storm damage claim procedure.
- We can document your hurricane-related damages and establish a compelling case to show your costs and losses to the insurance company.
- We complete documents, file your claims, and fight for a fair settlement every time.
- If the insurance company refuses, we can sue them to get more significant compensation based on your policy's coverage.
Act Now to File a Hurricane Damage Claim in Orlando
Don't wait to get started on your hurricane damage claim. According to Florida Statutes § 627.70132, Florida generally sets a three-year deadline to take action. Waiting longer than that to file could result in the insurance company denying your claim altogether, giving you limited or no options for compensation.
Contact Dolman Law Group today for a free, no-obligation consultation with us. Since we work on a contingency fee basis, you don't need to pay us until we recover damages for you. We're ready to meet with you in our Orlando office.
Orlando Office
1701 Park Center Drive, Suite #240-G
Orlando, FL 32835
Phone:
(407) 759-4565