While Florida is known as the “Sunshine State,” it is also known for the powerful tropical storms and hurricanes that blow through the state during the Atlantic hurricane season. Those storms produce powerful and destructive winds that can damage or destroy the roof of your home or business. If your roof has been damaged by one of these storms you expect your insurance company to pay to repair or replace your roof without delay. If that does not happen, what can you do?

At Malik Law, we are all too familiar with the strategies insurance companies use to delay or avoid paying roof damage claims in full. If your roof was damaged and your insurance company has delayed, underpaid, or denied your claim, the experienced Florida roof damage lawyers at Malik Law can advocate or litigate on your behalf to get your claim paid in full.

Reasons for a Florida Roof Damage Claim to Be Delayed, Underpaid, or Denied

To protect your financial investment, you purchased insurance to protect your home or property. As a Florida resident, you fully expect that insurance policy to cover damage caused by wind or rain from the storms that ravage the state every year. Understandably, you may be shocked when your Florida roof damage claim is not paid expeditiously and in full. Insurance companies, however, have a strong incentive to avoid paying claims because they must show a profit each year to remain in business. Wit that in mind, there are some common reasons your insurance company may give for delaying or failing to fully pay your roof damage claim, including:

• Asserting that the damage is excluded. Few people read the fine print in an insurance police before they purchase the coverage. Insurance companies know this and will often use that fine print to claim that damage is excluded from the policy coverage. In Florida, for example, hurricane coverage is often treated different that other damage. It may be subject to a separate (higher) deductible and coverage limits. Insurance companies may use this exclusion to deny a claim for roof damage if the damage was caused by hurricane force wind/rain.
• Claiming a third party is responsible for the damage. A common insurance tactic is to blame a manufacturer, installer, or maintenance company for roof damage, claiming that the roof had pre-existing damage, faulty workmanship, or defective materials. By pointing to a third party, the insurance company can reduce its financial exposure or avoid paying the claim altogether.
• Offering to repair when replacement is necessary. When the roof was already old enough or the damage so extensive, repairing a roof is not possible or practical. In that case, the roof really needs to be replaced entirely; however, insurance companies often refuse to completely replace a roof.
• Underestimating the cost of repair/replacement. You undoubtedly expect your insurance company to cover the actual cost of repairing/replacing your roof (minus your deductible). After all, fixing just some damage to a roof is not an option. Unfortunately, insurance adjusters frequently underestimate what it will cost to repair/replace a roof, leading to an underpayment of your claim.
• Never-ending documentation. Filing an insurance claim should be relatively simple. In reality, your insurance company may send you what seems like never-ending requests for additional forms, documents, and evidence related to your claim as a way to delay paying the claim.

What Should I Do If My Florida Roof Was Damaged?

To help ensure that your Florida roof damage claim is paid in full and without unnecessary delay, take the following steps when you discover roof damage:

1. Make sure the property is safe before entering. Roof damage can cause structural damage as well as electrical and water hazards. Do not enter until it is safe to do so.
2. Prevent additional damage. When it is safe to do so, take reasonable steps to prevent additional damage, such as putting a tarp over the damaged portion of the roof or removing personal property from the damage portion of the property.
3. Document the damage. Take pictures of the damage from inside and outside the property. You may also want to get your own independent estimates for the cost to repair/replace the roof.
4. Contact your insurance company. Contact your insurance company and file a claim for the roof damage as soon as possible. Be sure to provide all the forms, evidence, and documentation requested (when reasonably possible) to prevent a delay in payment of your claim.

Get Help from Experienced Florida Roof Damage Lawyers

If your insurance company has failed to pay your roof damage claim in a reasonable amount of time, or has underpaid or denied your claim, it is time to contact a Florida roof damage lawyer. At Malik Law P.A. we have seen firsthand the tactics and strategies insurance companies use to avoid paying valid roof damage claims. That means we have the experience and skills required to negotiate and litigate on your behalf if an insurance company has delayed, underpaid, or denied your roof damage claim to ensure that you are fully and fairly compensated for the damage to your roof and property.

Call us at 407-500-1000 or submit our online form today. One of our experienced Florida roof damage attorneys will explain your rights to you and discuss your legal options at no cost.