When a Hurricane or Tropical Storm Damages Your Florida Home

When a Hurricane or Tropical Storm Damages Your Florida Home
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When a Hurricane or Tropical Storm Damages Your Florida Home

Hurricane Irma Damages Attorney

Whenever a hurricane or tropical storm makes landfall, the media coverage heightens our awareness of just how devastating these storms can be.  Hurricane Harvey, which hit Gulf Coast of Texas last week, has, however, blown away our previous perceptions of devastation.

With pounding rain and flooding continuing for days, homes and businesses in the Houston area are being ruined, people are stranded, and power lines are down.  The extent of damage from the heavy rains and catastrophic flooding cannot yet be assessed as the aftermath of the nightmarish deluge of rain continues.

Assessing the Damage

At some point, though, people who found safety inland or at rescue centers will return home to assess the damage and try to put the pieces of their lives together.  At this difficult time, they hopefully have a lot of support from friends, family, their community, and federal emergency agencies.  What they certainly don’t need is additional stress and worry about dealing with their homeowner’s insurance company.

To avoid unnecessary additional stress and tension after your home suffers damage from a hurricane or tropical storm, I suggest contacting your insurance company immediately, keeping track of the damage, and working with an experienced Florida hurricane insurance claims attorney.

Working with Your Insurance Company and Attorney on a Florida Hurricane or Storm Damage Insurance Claim

Although it might seem time-consuming and difficult, considering your home and possessions have been damaged, taking pictures of all flooding and damage is well worth the effort.  Pictures and, if possible, an inventory of missing or damaged items, including price, date and place of purchase, and manufacturer, could expedite the settling of your claim.

If your insurance company does not settle your claim expeditiously or satisfactorily, having good pictures of the damage and a complete list of damaged items could also help your storm damage attorney fight to recover the costs from your storm damage.

Problems with Florida Hurricane or Storm Damage Insurance Claims

If your home or business has been damaged by a major storm, you most likely want to clean up and make repairs as soon as possible.  Typically, however, you must wait for an insurance adjustor to assess the damage before you can do anything.

If the adjustor is busy (and they usually are after major storms!) and can’t get to you for a while, your property could be further damaged by standing water following flooding and/or by water getting inside your home from damage to your roof.  In both instances, mold can form and cause permanent damage that your insurance company might contend is not covered by your policy.

Your insurance company might also leave you high and dry by contending that covered storm damage includes wind damage but not flooding.  If your policy is vague or otherwise unclear on storm and hurricane damage coverage, a Florida hurricane damage attorney can help you cut through the red tape and get compensated fairly for all damage to your property.

An insurance claims attorney can also help you if your hurricane or storm damage claim has been denied for other reasons. If your insurance company has misled you in any way or refused a legitimate storm damage claim, an experienced attorney can help you appeal the claim and file suit against the insurance company, if need be.

Help from Experienced Florida Insurance Claims Attorneys

If your home, business, or other valuable property has been damaged in a storm or hurricane, you might want to talk with an experienced Florida insurance claims attorney as soon as possible.  Insurance companies are notorious for attempting to avoid paying homeowners what they need to make repairs and replace damaged goods. Having a knowledgeable, experienced insurance claims attorney on your side can help you cut through the red tape, avoid further costly damage, and get the compensation you need.

At Malik Law, we’ve helped many Florida homeowners’ insurance policyholders get compensated fairly for hurricane and storm damage.  We know how disruptive such damage can be and will do whatever it takes to help you get compensated fairly so you can go on with your life and start planning for your future.

Call Malik Law today at 407-500-1000 or contact us online to talk with an experienced insurance claim attorney ready to fight for your rights.

Imran Malik
Imran Malik
Imran Malik, rated AV® Preeminent, by Martindale-Hubbell, is the founding member of Malik Law P.A. An AV® Rating signifies that a lawyer has reached the heights of professional excellence. He has practiced law for a number of years, and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity by fellow attorneys in his area of practice. Martindale-Hubbell is the oldest and most trusted lawyer information service in America.