Florida is seeing a vast number of undervalued or denied Hurricane Ian insurance claims. That’s because Hurricane Ian has caused billions of dollars worth of property damage, and that means insurance companies need to pay up!
Sadly, it’s people like you who they’re playing hard with. You’re one of the thousands of people who have had an undervalued or denied Hurricane Ian claim. Sadly, they don’t care about you. They’re not calling up victims and offering money. They’re hiding and playing hardball.
Here’s what to do:
How to Fight Back Your Undervalued or Denied Hurricane Ian Insurance Claim
90% of people won’t contest their undervalued or denied Hurricane Ian claim. But you can and should fight back! You’re their customer and it’s your home that’s suffered.
Don’t fall into the trap that there’s no room to negotiate or that you’ll lose the lowball offer they’ve sent you. You always have the right to negotiate, argue and fight back.
Call a Property Damage Lawyer
Property damage lawyers eat insurance companies for breakfast. When the advisor you’re talking to realizes there’s an attorney involved, they sit up and take notice.
We’ve worked on the opposite side of the table, so know what tricks they use. Now, it’s our job to help people like you.
We’ve got the experience and legal expertise to sift through complicated insurance policy documents and say “You’re wrong” to the insurers.
We do more than that too. From hiring independent adjusters to collecting evidence and ensuring your accommodation is paid for, we’ll fight to ensure you get the maximum possible settlement.
Prove Where The Water Came From
Is your house flooded? Insurance companies are going to ask you where that water came from. And then, they’ll probably say your “flood damage coverage does cover that”.
Fight back! Competing insurance coverage can help you out. For example, what about your wind coverage? That water may have come from the wind damage.
So you need to prove it by showing damage above the water line, such as in your soffits, windows and roof.
Wind. Driven. Rain. These three words can be used to tell your insurer that the damage wasn’t your fault, it was the relentless hurricane that blew a hole in your roof and then let the driving rain in.
Prove the Roof Damage
They’ll also probably say that the roof is damaged because it’s old. Which also means that you’ll lose value due to depreciation.
Most of the time, this is nonsense. It’s not because your roof is old. It’s because Hurricane Ian tore it apart. So how can you prove it?
Independent Adjusters
To prove the true value of your property damage after an undervalued or denied Hurricane Ian claim, you should work with an independent adjuster.
As property damage lawyers at a long-standing and highly-rated Florida law firm, we have the resources to provide you with an independent second valuation after a poor job from an insurer.
Insurance adjusters working for the insurance company know what they’re doing. They’re not really there to help you, no matter how nice they seem. They’re there to reject your property damage claim and make the insurance company happy.
This is also not the time to trust the people walking around the block handing out flyers. Call a professional who knows what they’re doing. We welcome you to receive a free consultation today.
Do Not Sign a Release
Red flag! Your insurance company may ask you to sign a release. Please as a property damage attorney to review the proposed release first.
Although the release may seem to cover the current damage, it doesn’t mean the damage is over. Hurricane damage tends to worsen over time, due to weakened foundations, structural damage and mold.
Keep Evidence of the Damage
Ensure you’ve still got photos saved of the Hurricane Ian property damage. Don’t accidentally delete them from your phone’s photos, only for them to be permanently deleted from your phone’s trash a few days later.
These photos and records are crucial to proving the true value of what you’ve lost and building a link from the hurricane to the damage.
You should also continue to record evidence. For example, if that hole in the roof still hasn’t been fixed by your insurance company and it’s starting to cause rain to come through – then take videos and photos to prove it.
- Keep receipts.
- Keep photos and videos.
- List what you’ve lost.
Read Related: Type of Damage to Look for After Hurricane Ian
Keep a Record of All Conversations
Every call, email and letter you have with your insurance company should be noted or stored. Ask for the name of your insurance representative and make note of the time and date of the communication.
If they make any promises or offers, write this down. Don’t let them twist their words.
Be Wary of Manipulation and Bullying
Insurance representatives have a nasty talent for manipulating homeowners into admitting fault, accepting lowball offers and being pressured into simply giving up.
Don’t give in. We know how unpleasant that can feel. You may feel like you’re to blame. But you’re not. Or at worst, let’s see them prove it.
Our property damage lawyers can communicate with your insurance carrier on your behalf, so you can relax and focus on recovering from the natural disaster with your family.
The following are key warning signs that your Hurricane Ian claim denial or valuation was unfair:
- Delaying tactics
- Manipulation and/or bullying
- Incorrect policy coverage claims
- Slow responses or no responses
- You’re blamed for the damage
- You’re told you don’t have the right to speak to a lawyer.
Hurricane Ian Property Damage Stats:
- Total flood and wind losses are between $41 billion and $70 billion.
- Uninsured flood loss is estimated to be between $10 billion and $17 billion.
- Over 66,000 pending mortgage applications, valued at around $22.5 billion, are at risk from Hurricane Ian damage.
- 2.5 million evacuation orders were issued, resulting in millions returning home damaged homes.
- 3.4 million-plus power U.S. outages.
- Over $60 million in insured property damage losses (compared to the inflation-adjusted $89.7 billion for Hurricane Katrina)
Contact a Hurricane Ian Insurance Claim Lawyer Today
Free Consultations!
If you’ve had an undervalued or denied Hurricane Ian insurance claim, our Florida property damage attorneys can help.
Attorney Jonathon Douglas leads the property damage claim team nationally ranked by US News and World Reports as a Tier 1 Law Firm, Battaglia Ross Dicus & McQuaid, P.A.
Having previously represented some of the largest insurance companies in the State of Florida, Mr. Douglas uses his inside knowledge and experience to help navigate hurricane insurance disputes.
Regardless of your situation, you can receive a free consultation today.