Orlando Hurricane Damage Attorneys The Congressional Budget Office estimates that annual losses from storms across the U.S. total $55 billion dollars:

  • $34 billion in the residential sector, including home repair and temporary housing costs
  • $9 billion in the commercial sector, including repair costs, temporary space costs, and revenue losses due to business interruption
  • $12 billion in the public sector, including repairs to public property and recovery activities

Most of the damage is caused by storm surges, heavy rain and strong hurricane or tropical storm wind. A huge storm, such as Hurricane Michael (2018), can cause billions of dollars in losses. Hurricane Laura (2020), for example, caused an estimated $14 billion in damages in southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas.

Florida home and business owners are all too familiar with the devastating damage storms cause each year. Unfortunately, they are also familiar with the numerous problems that occur when filing storm damage insurance claims, waiting to get paid for necessary repairs, and finding out their claims have been denied.

If your home or business has been damaged during a storm and you’re having problems with your insurance claim, the attorneys at Malik Law can help you. We know insurance law inside out and are very familiar with the tactics insurance companies use to try to avoid paying claims. We will fight for your rights and won’t settle for less than what you need to recover from the storm damage to your property.
 

Property Damage from Florida Storms

Storms can damage any area of your property, from your pool to your vehicles to all parts of your home. Many storms that have recently hit Orlando have been strong enough to cause extensive damage to roofs, landscaping and home interiors.

At Malik Law, we have witnessed all types of storm damage and have helped hundreds of property owners get the payment for repairs and/or replacement they are entitled to from their insurance companies. We can help you after any type of storm damage, including:

  • Roof damage – Wind during a storm can cause extensive roof damage. Lost shingles or holes in your roof can also lead to water damage to the interior of your home.
  • Water damage – Rain, storm surge, and floods can easily damage your home or business. Most insurance companies cover water damage from storms only if the water has not been on the ground. You need a separate flood insurance policy to cover damage from water that enters your home from the ground.
  • Wind damage – Wind during a tropical storm or tornado can cause extensive damage to all parts of your home and yard. Roofs, windows, doors, lanais, trees and outdoor living areas can all be damaged in storms.
  • Hail damage – Hail can be a lot more dangerous than you may think. When balls of ice hit your home, they can damage the roof, the windows, the siding, and any items in your yard.
  • Lightening damage – Lightening can cause fires throughout your home and ruin your electrical equipment and appliances.
  • Power line damage – Storms often affect power lines, which can result in blown circuits and damaged electronics.

No matter what type of damage you have experienced, the insurance claim attorneys at Malik Law can help you file a strong claim and negotiate a fair settlement or, if necessary, fight for the payment you need to repair your property.
 

What to Do When Your Florida Home Is Damaged by a Storm

When your home is damaged by a storm, you may want to make repairs as soon as possible.  This is natural; however, it is not advisable.  You need to document the damage in as much detail as possible in order to file a thorough insurance claim.

We suggest taking photos of all of the damage as soon as you can and trying to find receipts for damaged or lost items, home repairs and home maintenance. We also suggest you have an independent appraiser come assess the damage.

You should also contact your insurance company as son as possible and have them send a representative to assess the damage. If there is a significant difference between their assessment and the independent appraiser’s assessment, you may want to contact an experienced insurance claim attorney from Malik Law right away for help getting compensated fairly for all of the damage your home and property sustained in the storm.
 

What to Do When Your Florida Insurance Claim Is Denied, Delayed, or Underpaid

If your insurance company does not offer you a reasonable settlement, unreasonably delays your payment, or denies payment altogether, contact our firm for assistance. We will examine your policy and your claim to determine the damages you should receive and negotiate with your insurance company to settle your claim satisfactorily. If they do not offer a satisfactory settlement, we will fight to get you fair compensation.

Insurance companies will use many different strategies to lowball or deny payments, including delaying payments so that policyholders will give in and settle for less than they deserve. The good news is that we won’t be tricked or intimidated, and insurance companies know that. For example, while homeowners are typically unsuccessful when appealing a denied claim, insurance companies will more readily change a denial when we pressure them to do so.

Furthermore, we will examine your policy to see if your claim was denied or underpaid due to an ambiguity in your policy or something intentionally misleading. If something has not been clearly expressed in your policy or if you have been misled by your insurance company, we will make sure the company honors your claim and, if warranted, is penalized for misleading consumers.
 

Our Experienced Orlando Insurance Claim Attorneys Provide the Help You Need with Your Storm Damage Claim

Filing a claim for storm damage with an insurance company can be very complicated and time-consuming. We know from experience how difficult dealing with insurance companies can be and want to help you be successful in obtaining fair compensation for the damage to your property.

No matter what stage of the claims process you’re in, we can help. We can answer your questions about your policy and the claims process, help you build a convincing claim, argue with insurance claims adjusters on your behalf, negotiate a top settlement for you, or take your insurance claim to court if your insurance company is denying you full compensation.
 

Get Expert Advice and Help with Your Florida Storm Damage Claim

Malik Law, PA is one of Florida’s leading insurance litigation law firms. We provide personalized, high quality legal representation for homeowners and injury victims seeking justice. We have helped our clients recover millions of dollars from insurance companies and want to help you obtain the payment you deserve.

For expert advice and personalized service, call us, chat online with us, or submit the Free Case Evaluation form on our website. We offer free consultations and will handle your case on a contingency basis, meaning you do not pay us until we obtain compensation for your claim.

 

Sources:

Aon Insurance Company. (2020, Sept.). Global catastrophe recap.
http://thoughtleadership.aonbenfield.com//Documents/20200810_analytics-if-september-global-recap.pdf

Congressional Budget Office. (2019, April). Expected costs of camage from hurricane winds and storm-related flooding.
https://www.cbo.gov/publication/55019#section0

Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. (2019, Dec.). Hurricane Michael claims data.
https://www.floir.com/Office/HurricaneSeason/HurricaneMichaelClaimsData.aspx