Suffering from property damage is at best a frustrating experience, and at worst financial devastating or even dangerous, and has impacted many Florida residents following hurricanes and other natural disasters.

For affected homeowners, it may be helpful and may be necessary to hire a Florida property damage attorney to ensure their claim is treated fairly and they receive maximum compensation. An experienced lawyer knows the ins and outs of the insurance denial appeals process, lending that knowledge to consumer disputes.

What Should I Do After Experiencing Property Damage?

Most people assume that the process of filing a claim with their insurance company will be very straightforward. Submitting evidence to the company and completing follow up calls, they think, will be enough to put them on the path to either a payment or a repair.

However, the process of submitting a homeowners insurance claim is rarely streamlined and simple. In the wake of widespread damage caused by disasters like Hurricane Michael and Hurricane Irma, plenty of consumers have had issues in trying to get their repairs completed in a timely fashion. Drawn-out insurance investigations and evaluations of claims can cause numerous problems for those with leaky pipes, water damage, and other serious property damage issues.

If your claim is taking a long time to close out or if you’re having a hard time getting a hold of representatives at your insurance company who want to cooperate with you, you might consider hiring a Florida property damage attorney to show the insurance company that you mean business.

What If I Have Flood Insurance?

Although more than 5 million households are covered by flood insurance policies under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), the program itself appears to be underwater. Having paid into a flood insurance program may not be enough to ensure that homeowners receive the compensation they deserve.

Following the rise in the intensity and frequency of tropical storms and hurricanes, the NFIP has been hit with billions of dollars’ worth of claims over the past several years. Many of these claims have been in regards to Hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Sandy. According to federal records, approximately 90 percent of Florida flood claims submitted to the National Flood Insurance Program regarding damage caused by Hurricane Irma were closed without any payments being made.

According to homeowners and policyholders, even the claims that were settled financially may only have been paid out at a fraction of what homeowners may be owed. The NFIP’s reluctance to pay out even low settlement amounts may be stemming from the program’s rising debt.

Although the NFIP is allowed to borrow $30 billion from the U.S. Treasury in order to pay out claims, around two-thirds of this money has already been spent, according to The Hill. Although $16 billion of the NFIP’s debt was cancelled in October 2017, the program is still approximately $20 billion in debt.

In November 2019, Congress approved another short-term extension to the National Flood Insurance Program. This is the 14th short-term renewal of the NFIP since September 2017, when it was originally supposed to expire.

Are There Any Laws That Protect Homeowners?

A 2014 Florida law known as the Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights informs policyholders about their rights and what they can expect when they need to work with their insurance company to file a claim. This law also took important steps to eliminate long underwriting periods and requires that the repair or replacement work done by the insurance company must be carried out by a professional with the right license.

Is a Florida Property Damage Attorney Required To Dispute A Claim?

An attorney is not required in order to dispute a claim under Florida’s Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights. However, these professionals can help consumers better dispute their claim by compiling documentation, understanding the law, and maximizing payouts.

What Can a Florida Property Damage Attorney Do?

As a consumer, you probably feel like you held up your end of the bargain by paying your premiums and reporting your damage to your insurance carrier as soon as possible after you started the claim.

While you might have done some of the initial legwork on your own, a Florida property damage attorney can help to move the process along when you’re experiencing unnecessary delays. In addition, having a third party speak to the insurance company on your behalf frees up your time and energy to focus on other things. Finally, your lawyer can help point out when the insurance carrier is violating your rights by wrongfully denying or delaying your claim.

Additionally, if consumers wish to file a lawsuit against their insurer in court, an experienced Florida property damage attorney can help file documents in court and argue their case should it go to trial.

When Should I Hire a Damage Attorney?

If you have already made a good faith effort to close out the claim but have been unsuccessful, now is the right time to hire a lawyer. Even if you are new to the process and are filing a recent damage claim, having an attorney at your side makes it easier to file all the right paperwork and increase your chances of the claim closing out successfully. If your home insurance claim has been denied, you still have options to fight for the payout you deserve.

Top Class Actions can help you find the right Florida property damage attorney when you need one.

Florida Property Damage Insurance Claim Help

If you live in Florida and your home or business was damaged, enlisting the help of an experienced property damage attorney may make a difference in the outcome of your claim. 

Learn more by filling out the form on this page for a free case evaluation by a Florida property damage lawyer. 

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