what to ask attorney before filing a hurricane claim.

If you hear any of the following from the insurance company when you file your claim, it may be time to call a hurricane property damage lawyer: Your policy doesn’t cover this damage This damage was due to flooding (even if you know it wasn’t) You should also look out for other troubling signs, such as:

Full Answer

How do I file a claim after a hurricane?

Insurers typically begin to process claims as they are received – with the massive volume of claims expected after a hurricane, you could be waiting quite a while for your claim to be processed if you wait to submit it. Contact your insurer and follow its procedures for filing a damage claim.

What to do if your house is damaged in a hurricane?

1. Take Note of Damaged Property Inventory your home, making note of the personal property that was damaged as well as damages to the home. Take photos and video of the damage to support your claim. You should have also taken photos of your property during your preparations before the storm.

How do I file a claim for damages to my property?

Contact your insurer and follow its procedures for filing a damage claim. Inform your insurer that you have compiled a list of damages and let them know if you were forced to relocate.

Why is it important to clean up after a hurricane?

This is important because if you clean up messes left by hurricane damage and make repairs, the adjuster will not see firsthand the damage caused by the storm – this could lower the insurer’s settlement offer.

How do you scare insurance adjusters?

The best way to scare insurance carriers or adjusters is to have an attorney by your side to fight for you. You should not settle for less.

How long after a hurricane can you file a claim in Florida?

three yearsYou have three years following the date a hurricane damaged your property to file an insurance claim in Florida. You may miss out on the opportunity if you wait too long to file a hurricane damage insurance claim.

What should I tell my insurance company after a hurricane?

First steps. Alert your insurance company: Notify your insurer that you need to file a claim. Ask how long it will take until you get a visit from an adjuster — the person who will inspect the damage and help you arrive at a settlement.

How do I fight a home insurance claim denial?

How do I appeal an insurance claim denial?Contact the insurance company. ... File a complaint with your state's insurance commissioner. ... Consider mediation. ... Consider legal action. ... Your policy specifies the amount of time you have to file a claim after a loss or damage occurs.More items...•

How long does an insurance company have to settle a homeowners claim in Florida?

90 daysHow Long Does an Insurance Company Have to Settle a Homeowners Claim in Florida? Insurance companies have 90 days to make a decision on a homeowners claim in Florida and 20 days after a decision to issue payment.

How long does an insurance company have to investigate a claim in Florida?

Insurance companies in Florida have 64 days to settle a claim after it is filed. Florida insurance companies also have specific timeframes in which they must acknowledge the claim and then decide whether or not to accept it, before paying out the final settlement.

What questions should I ask an insurance adjuster after a hurricane?

Insurance Coverages and Exclusions What damages to my property are not covered under my insurance policy? What coverages are needed in order to be covered for these types of damages in the future? What are my policy limits? What is my deductible?

What will insurance pay after a hurricane?

If your home or personal property are damaged by hurricane winds, homeowners insurance will generally help cover the cost of repairs. However, most policies won't cover water damage caused by flooding or storm surge from a hurricane — that requires separate flood insurance.

What are the damages after a hurricane hits?

After a hurricane hits a coastal area, it can travel inland. At this point, the storm has typically weakened, but it can still cause damage. Torrential rains from the storm can cause rivers to flood their banks and mudslides to form. Around the world, about 10,000 people die each year in hurricanes and tropical storms.

In what circumstances would a property insurance claim be rejected?

Your insurance claim may be rejected if: You don't file your claim promptly. The cause of property damage falls under an exclusion condition in your policy. You haven't been paying your insurance premiums.

Why would an insurance claim be denied?

There are several reasons insurance companies deny claims that are valid and reasonable. For example, if your accident could have been avoided or if your conduct led to the accident, your claim may be denied. An insurance company may also deny a claim if you have engaged in conduct that renders your policy ineffective.

How do you argue an insurance claim?

Step 1: Contact your insurance agent or company again. Before you contact your insurance agent or home insurance company to dispute a claim, you should review the claim you initially filed. ... Step 2: Consider an independent appraisal. ... Step 3: File a complaint and hire an attorney.

1. Start with One Room at a Time

If your entire home has been impacted by the storm, you’re probably not sure where to start. Try tackling your damage assessment in small chunks, starting with one room and not moving to another until you’re sure that you haven’t missed anything in the first.

2. Create an Organized, Legible List

As you go from room to room, keep an organized list that you or someone else can easily read later. This list should include the contents of each room, a brief description of damages and any other notes you think you might need down the road.

3. Include Photos

In addition to creating an itemized list, make sure you take plenty of photos of damages. The more photos you take now, the stronger your storm damage insurance claim will be.

What to do if Hurricane Irma damages your property?

If Hurricane Irma damaged your property, it’s important to make sure you handle your insurance claim properly in order to prevent any complications . For that reason, we’ve put together a guide that will help you prepare your property damage claim and ensure you get what you’re entitled to.

How long does it take for an insurance adjuster to reach out?

Depending on the severity of your claim, it could take weeks or even months. Take pictures and video of the damage to your property.

How many people were evacuated in Hurricane Irma?

Hurricane Irma was a massive, record-breaking storm. Nearly 6.3 million Floridians were ordered to evacuate – one of the largest evacuations in our country’s history – and within the first four hours of Irma making landfall in our state, 1.3 million people lost power. Let’s also not forget the torrential rain and fierce sustained winds ...

Do you need to get on your insurance claim list?

Insurers tend to visit the most damaged areas first, so if you need to make a claim, it’s important to get on your insurance company’s claim list as soon as possible. Make sure you get a claim number and keep it in a safe place so your claim can easily be located if you have questions.

Do insurance adjusters make it your property?

These things take time. As mentioned above, insurers typically send adjusters to homes that have the most severe damage first. The adjuster will make it your property, but if your home wasn’t severely damaged, it might take a little longer.

What to do before a hurricane cleanup?

Before you do any cleanup after a hurricane or tropical storm, make sure to take plenty of pictures. Documentation of damage to your property will make it harder for the insurance company to deny a legitimate claim.

How long do you have to file supplemental claims in Florida?

Florida statutes allow policyholders to file a supplemental claim within three years of the original claim in the case additional damage is discovered and the initial claim wasn’t adequate to cover all the costs of repairs.

1 Call your insurance company as soon as possible to report the claim and to begin the insurance claims process

In order to ensure that your hurricane insurance claims are taken care of as quickly as possible it is important to make sure that you contact your insurance company immediately. Even if you don’t know all of the damages or what repairs will cost, call your insurance agent or company directly and promptly to make sure your claim has been filed.

2 Document your damages

Be certain that before you make any changes to your home that you have documented proof of all the damage that the hurricane caused, and that you have given your insurance company adequate time to inspect the damages as well.

3 Protect your home and make basic repairs

One of the most important things moving forward with your claim is to ensure that your home is protected against any further damage. Your insurance company will not bar you from making basic repairs to your home such as setting a tarp on your roof or covering broken windows.

4 Keep track of any expenses towards repairing the damage

Be sure to keep any receipts of expenses paid toward repairing your home as well as any expenses spent on evacuating. Especially in the event of a hurricane, insurance companies may pay a certain amount per day for your evacuation expenses to cover your hotel and meals.

5 Record any changes you make to your home

As important as it is to document the initial damages, it is equally important to document any changes you make to your home. Keep visual documentation through photos and videos as well as written, detailed documentation for any of the repairs made on your home.

6 Written Proof of Claim & Sworn Statements

Many insurance policies require that you provide a written “sworn proof of claim” reflecting certain information on your policy, the insured, your claims and your damages. Under some policies that must be sent to the carrier within thirty or ninety days of the loss.

How to file a claim after a hurricane?

Contact Your Insurance Company as Soon as Possible . File your claim as soon as possible . Insurers typically begin to process claims as they are received – with the massive volume of claims expected after a hurricane, you could be waiting quite a while for your claim to be processed if you wait to submit it. Contact your insurer and follow its ...

How long to wait to call a contractor after a hurricane?

Following a hurricane, contractors are in high demand – waiting to call can add months to your wait before your home can be repaired.

What to do with a Florida hurricane claim?

Aside from consulting with an experienced attorney, the best thing you can do for your Florida hurricane insurance claim is to understand your insurance policy. Having an idea of what is covered and what is not covered in your insurance plan will help you immensely when you want to file a hurricane claim. With that said, however, insurance policies ...

What should I do before a hurricane?

Before a hurricane, you should document everything of value in your home. Ideally, back up each value you note with a receipt or listing that proves it. After a hurricane, you need to document everything that suffers damage in the hurricane.

How long do you have to file an insurance claim in Florida?

In Florida, as in other states, there is a time limit for filing an insurance claim. Under Florida law, you have three years after the hurricane to file an insurance claim or any supplemental claims. It is important that you not hesitate to file a claim well before that deadline.

What to do if your insurance company denies your Florida claim?

Especially if your insurance company has denied your Florida hurricane insurance claim, reach out to an attorney as soon as possible. The hurricane attorneys at Emmanuel Sheppard & Condon have you covered.

How to get compensation for a hurricane?

Regardless of where damage occurs during a hurricane, to get compensation for it, you need to document it. With this in mind, write down all damages that the hurricane causes. In addition, include an estimate of the cost of any relevant damages.

What if I didn't do my homework before a hurricane?

If you didn’t account for a given belonging in your pre-hurricane assessment, just be sure to account for it in your post-hurricane assessment alongside a reasonable value.

How to recover damages from a hurricane?

Thus, before a hurricane happens, make a list of all the items you own that are worth something .

Do Not File an Insurance Claim Without Your Lawyer

Insurance adjusters may try to limit the amount of compensation they are required to pay out on your claim. For this reason, it is important that you consider speaking with a lawyer before you file your hurricane damage insurance claim.

Understand What Your Hurricane Insurance Policy Covers

As you prepare to file your hurricane damage insurance claim, you will want to review your insurance policies in detail. You may have purchased sewer backup insurance, flood insurance, windstorm coverage, and homeowners insurance. Make sure you go through these policies in-depth to find out which losses are covered.

Remember the Insurance Company Will Protect Their Bottom Line

The insurance adjuster you talk to will likely be polite and seem concerned for you. However, they are employed by the insurance company, so they will work to protect their bottom line.

Keep a Full Written Record of Your Related Damages

Since the insurance company may try to undervalue your claim, it is important to thoroughly document your damages. Immediately following the hurricane, as soon as it is safe to do so, begin documenting all of the damages. Take photos and videos of any damage to your home, personal items, and/or property.

Never Settle for Less Than You Deserve

We previously mentioned that insurance adjusters can offer low settlements to their policyholders, as they are often struggling financially. If they can obtain what they consider to be a significant amount of money for a portion of their damages now, it may provide them with the financial relief they need temporarily.

Get Help From Our Hurricane Damage Lawyer Serving Lousiana Today

Before you initiate the hurricane claims process, consider enlisting the services of a hurricane claims attorney on our team. We have close ties with some attorneys serving Louisiana. Glen Levine even graduated from Tulane, and Nicholas Basco graduated from Loyola. We want to help those who have suffered from hurricanes.