Florida homeowners are vulnerable to property damage from storms, natural disasters, and other events that can compromise their homes, destroy personal belongings, and put their health in peril. Recently, Hurricane Milton has caused severe damage to Florida. With 120 mph winds and flooding rains, at least 24 deaths have been attributed to Hurricane Milton, one of the worst storms to hit the state in a century. The devastation has destroyed an unknown number of homes, leaving many Florida residents with questions about how to handle foreclosures, mortgage payments, and other legal issues.
Homeowners’ insurance can often cover these losses and help residents rebuild their lives. But unfortunately, disputes can arise even over the most valid claims. That’s when a property insurance lawyer can step in. If you suffered a loss that should be covered under your homeowners’ insurance policy, an experienced Fort Lauderdale foreclosure defense lawyer from Loan Lawyers can help you demand a full and fair financial recovery. Contact us today for a free initial case review to learn how we can help you obtain the compensation and peace of mind you deserve.
How Can Our Florida Hurricane Damage Attorneys Help?
If your home is damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Milton, and you have a mortgage, there’s a good chance you have homeowner’s insurance. Most lenders require borrowers to purchase homeowner’s insurance. If you have homeowner’s insurance, they should be able to help you cover the cost of repairing or rebuilding your home, but the process is not always that easy.
Insurance companies sometimes operate in bad faith, which means they deny, delay, or reduce your claim even though it’s valid and in line with your policy. Our hurricane damage attorneys can determine if your insurance provider is operating in bad faith and, if necessary, file a lawsuit to ensure you get the coverage you deserve.
Why Do I Need a Florida Hurricane Attorney After Milton?
You have a lot on your plate after a devastating hurricane affects your home. For example, even if your home is damaged or partially destroyed by a hurricane, you are still expected to pay your mortgage. If you are unable to make these payments, you may face foreclosure.
Let an experienced hurricane attorney handle legal concerns, such as negotiating with the homeowner’s insurance company and exploring disaster relief options to help with mortgage payments. If your home is facing foreclosure, an attorney can help you explore options to halt or delay foreclosure proceedings.
To learn more, please visit these resources if you need help after Hurrican Milton:
- What to Do After Hurricane Milton Hits Your Home and Mortgage
- Do You Have to Continue Paying Mortgage Payments After a Hurricane?
- Fannie Mae’s Disaster Relief Options After Hurricane Milton
- Am I Obligated to Pay My Mortgage if Hurricane Milton Destroyed My Home?
What Does Florida Homeowners’ Insurance Cover?
Depending on the specific insurance company, a typical homeowners’ insurance policy in Florida will contain specific coverage, with the homeowner required to pay a higher premium to purchase additional coverage. Commonly purchased coverage in Fort Lauderdale home insurance policies include:
- Coverage A: Damage to the main dwelling on the insured property
- Coverage B: Destruction or damage of accessory structures, such as sheds, gazebos, or fences
- Coverage C: Damage or theft of the contents of the home, although some insurers may require separate coverage for valuables like expensive jewelry, artwork, or antiques
- Coverage D: Reimbursement for additional living expenses incurred during loss of use of the residence
- Coverage L: For personal liability incurred by the homeowner(s), including negligently damaging others’ property
- Coverage M: Medical expenses to treat injuries that others suffer on or from the homeowner’s property
Common Types of Insurance Claims in Fort Lauderdale
An experienced homeowners’ insurance lawyer from Loan Lawyers can help you file claims for losses stemming from:
- Fires and explosions, including burned property or fire-related damages like smoke or soot
- Weather-related damage, including wind, lightning strikes, rain, hail, storm surge, or storm debris
- Mold and mildew, if the homeowner expressly purchased such coverage
- Non-storm-related water damage, including damage from water leaks or burst pipes
- Vandalism
- Theft of personal property
Florida homeowners’ insurance policies typically do not cover flood or sinkhole-related damage. Residents usually must purchase optional sinkhole coverage. Property owners also typically obtain flood coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program since many insurers consider Florida properties too significant a flood risk to insure.
What Should You Do After Suffering a Loss at Home?
After suffering a loss at home, you should:
- Take detailed photos of the damage to your home. Keep any damaged or destroyed personal property, if safe to do so.
- Gather any receipts for damaged personal items.
- Keep all invoices or receipts for expenses you incur due to property damage, such as emergency repairs or additional living expenses if you must vacate your home.
- Review the terms of your homeowners’ insurance policy and report your loss to the insurance company as soon as possible.
Finally, contact a homeowners’ insurance attorney for help filing a claim and communicating with insurance adjusters.
How Insurance Companies Take Advantage of Florida Homeowners
When you’ve dutifully paid your homeowners’ insurance premiums for years, you expect your insurance provider to cover you when you suffer a loss under your policy. However, some insurers do everything possible to minimize claims.
Common tactics that insurance companies use to take advantage of Florida homeowners include:
- Delaying the investigation and processing of a homeowner’s claim: Insurers may slow down the claims process, putting financial and personal strain on a homeowner desperate to get repairs done efficiently. This strategy puts unfair pressure on the homeowner to accept any quick offer.
- Making low settlement offers: Insurers may take advantage of a homeowner’s financial distress by making an initial lowball offer. Adjusters may also insinuate or explicitly claim they will not negotiate on their initial offer. However, a hard-hitting property insurance lawyer can deal with the adjuster on your behalf to demand fair compensation.
- Misrepresenting the policy terms or coverage limits: Insurers may deny a homeowners’ insurance claim by asserting that the policy excludes coverage for the claim without citing the relevant policy terms or by misconstruing the meaning of the terms. Insurers might use this strategy to justify a low settlement offer, claiming it represents the total policy limit when the homeowner purchased higher coverage limits.
- Obtaining lowball repair estimates: Insurers may devalue a property damage claim by obtaining repair estimates that underestimate the scope of work needed for repairs or assume the use of lower-quality materials.
What to Do if Your Homeowner’s Insurance Claim Gets Denied
If your insurer has denied your claim under your homeowners’ policy, you can still pursue a financial recovery. First, you should review the insurance company’s denial notice, which should explain the reason(s) for the denial. For example, the notice should state whether the insurer denied your claim as not covered by your policy, for lack of documentation, or violations of any requirements under your policy.
Next, you should consult a Fort Lauderdale home insurance lawyer. Your attorney can review the terms of your insurance policy to determine whether the policy provides coverage for your claim. They can also help you gather additional documentation to better support your insurance claim. Most insurers allow policyholders to request reconsideration or administrative review of a denied claim, so your attorney can communicate with your insurer to pursue approval of your claim.
When you and the insurance company dispute the value of your claim, you may hire an independent adjuster to provide an appraisal to counter the insurance company’s settlement offer. A skilled homeowners’ insurance attorney can advise on if that could help your situation.
Can You Sue Your Homeowners’ Insurance Agent for Negligence?
You may have a claim against the insurance agent who procured your homeowners’ policy if their negligence resulted in you not having the insurance coverage you instructed the agent to obtain for you. You could also have a claim against the agent if they negligently misrepresented the terms of your homeowners’ policy. You might also have a claim if your agent made material misrepresentations on your insurance application that resulted in the denial of your claim or cancellation of your policy.
Contact a Fort Lauderdale Homeowners’ Insurance Lawyer Today
Need help filing a homeowners’ insurance claim or handling a dispute with the insurance company? Put the proven Fort Lauderdale foreclosure defense lawyers at Loan Lawyers to work for you. Our legal team has over 100 years of combined experience helping consumers tackle insurance disputes and get what they paid for. Contact us today for a free consultation.
