Storm Claims
Living in beautiful South Florida undoubtedly has its perks, you are literally surrounded by shorelines on all sides. Now whether you’ve been a longtime resident of Florida, or you just moved here, you’ve probably experienced firsthand the downside of being surrounded by water, which is that we are extremely vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms from the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. Though Florida is known for being the Sunshine State, you also learn from living here that we experience a lot of rain. As a personal injury law firm, we not only care about your physical self but also your personal property and want to make sure you are properly compensated for any damages you may experience. South Florida homes most commonly experience the following property damage claims:
- Wind damage;
- Water damage;
- Flooding damage; and
- Hurricane-induced storm damage.
Depending on the severity of these different property damages, they can affect Florida homeowners in many different ways, such as:
- Structural damage;
- Foundation damage;
- Roof damage;
- Utility damages;
- Damage to home equipment; and
- Internal damage.
Due to these risks, property and flood insurance are needed for a Florida homeowner. Retaining property insurance allows homeowners to recover from structural damage due to natural disasters, and will allow you to repair or replace the damaged property. Due to the high volume of insurance claims from tropical storms and hurricanes, insurance companies aren’t as willing to fulfill every claim, leaving you potentially uncompensated. Though Florida allows homeowners three years to file a claim for damages after a hurricane, most insurance company policies limit those three years to just one year after the natural disaster. Insurance companies can use this limitation to their advantage to deny your claim and suggest that the damages weren’t caused by the hurricane if you’ve waited too long to file. As a homeowner wanting to recover damages from your insurance company, there are particular steps you can take in order to adequately support your claim.
- Document all losses and expenses.
- It is important to be thorough and keep track of the losses you’ve experienced. It is recommended that you take photographs of all the damages and keep a detailed list of anything that has been damaged. If you choose to make any necessary repairs, be sure to keep an itemized list of expenses and receipts.
- These records could be used when submitting your claim, or when you’ve filed a lawsuit.
- File your insurance claim.
- It is best to file as soon as possible. So once you have thoroughly analyzed and recorded your damage, be sure to file.
- Seek legal assistance.
- As mentioned, insurance companies do have the ability to deny your claim. So if you do everything right and still don’t receive proper compensation, you could take that next step in obtaining legal help. An attorney can help you with dealing with the insurance company and filing a lawsuit.
If your claim has been denied for any reason you feel to be unfair, you still have options. The Peña Law Firm is very familiar with dealing with insurance companies and getting our clients the compensation they rightly deserve. Meaning, we would file a lawsuit against the insurance company and prove your claim should not have been denied based on the damage your property has endured, therefore opening an investigation of their claims process. The Peña Law Firm has years of experience in the legal and insurance fields, ensuring that we have the skills to thoroughly investigate your claim, voice your needs to the insurance company, and work toward the best result possible for you. If necessary, we are willing to take your claim all the way to court.
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