Hurricane Damage

Hurricanes are powerful and unpredictable, causing damage to homes, vehicles, and a multitude of belongings. Although some claims may be covered by traditional insurance policies, most insurance companies only offer hurricane coverage under extended coverage packages. Unfortunately, insurance companies will sometimes deny claims even where a policy holder has purchased coverage for hurricane related damages. If your hurricane related damage claim is being denied by your insurance carrier, a hurricane damage attorney may be able to help.

An experienced hurricane damage attorney can review your insurance policy and subsequently advise you as to precisely what is and what is not covered under its terms. As insurance policies can be lengthy and complex, experienced legal counsel can help avoid certain pitfalls that could result in lost time, effort, and money.

After a hurricane strikes, most of those affected want to begin cleaning up the damage immediately, putting the pieces together so as to move along with life as soon as humanly possible. Unfortunately, insurance companies typically require an assessor conduct a full review and issue a report regarding the extent of the damage before tendering funds to cover the cost of repairs. If a homeowner were to begin repairs prior to the arrival of an assessor, the owner may have difficulty obtaining compensation for those repairs.

One important caveat to hurricane insurance policies regards flood damage. Many hurricane insurance policies cover damage that has been caused by hurricane winds, but not damage caused by hurricane flooding. Where an exclusion for flood damages is made expressly and precisely, the insurance company may not be liable for any of the floodwater damage. However, if the language relied upon is vague, inconclusive, or misleading, experienced counsel may be able to assist a property owner in obtaining coverage.

After a hurricane damages your property, you should contact the insurance company as soon as possible. Working with the insurance company in the beginning of the claims process is likely to increase the chance that your claim is filed properly, and minimize the chance of a technical error interfering with your coverage. In most cases, insurance companies will be able to walk policy holders through the process for filing a claim and evaluate what damages are covered under the policy. However, when a conflict arises, seeking legal counsel is very helpful.

Make sure to take numerous pictures of the damage, and maintain accurate logs of what happens throughout the claims and repair process. This evidence will prove critically important in receiving proper compensation from the insurance company, particularly if a claim is denied. If a hurricane damage claim has been denied, a hurricane damage attorney may be the best route for resolving the situation. Experienced legal counsel may be able to appeal the decision to deny coverage internally within the insurance company, but if no other option is available, an attorney may also file a lawsuit on your behalf. Unfortunately, going to court is the only way to force the insurance company to comply with the terms of its policy if it will not do so willingly and of its own accord..

If you are in need of an experienced hurricane damage lawyer, contact the experienced attorneys at Neumann Law Group for a free consultation.