Given the recent events in Florida and other areas, homeowners will be closely scrutinizing their insurance policies to make sure they make a full recovery. It is terrifying to be in the middle of a hurricane, tropical storm or other weather event. Matters will be made worse if an insurance company refused to pay for the damage or there are disputes over the interpretation of the policy. When these situations cannot be effectively discussed between the policyholder and the company, it is important to have legal assistance.
Steps for homeowners to take to be protected from hurricanes and more
Property owners should know how to be ready before a weather event and after it has happened. The recent hurricane will cost an estimated $260 billion to rebuild properties that were damaged or destroyed. Depending on where the person lives, they should adjust their policy accordingly to be fully shielded and get what they are entitled to for rebuilding and replacement.
Before a storm happens, homeowners should make sure they have their policies handy and either take screenshots of them or have online copies. Simply having this information at the ready can keep delays and disputes as to what the policy says and covers to a minimum. When there is property damage, documenting it with photos and videos can prove what occurred and how much was lost.
When there are repairs that cannot wait for insurance adjusters to arrive and checks to be sent, they should be done and documented. The costs must be detailed and the images of before and after prepared. In massive, catastrophic incidents, it can take some time before the insurance company gets its people out to look at the damage.
If the damage came about due to the wind, standard policies usually cover it. Still, it is imperative to make sure. With floods, Florida’s marketplace has been problematic due to previous large events and payouts. FEMA offers a National Flood Insurance Program that covers people for flood damage. Federal assistance can also be critical.
Property owners may need legal help with insurance litigation
Given the high premiums that Floridians pay for insurance, people are naturally expecting their prompt payments and comprehensive coverage to yield replacement and repair as needed. Unfortunately, some claims are denied because of differing interpretations of the contract itself and its fine print.
When people have been negatively impacted by a disaster of any kind whether it is a weather event, a fire or other challenges and the insurer does not want to hold up their end of the bargain, consulting with legal professionals with experience in insurance litigation can be necessary to get what is owed.