June 29, 2018
Our clients sustained a devastating water loss in their home in the Villages. The house had been extensively damaged by water and mold as a result of a water loss from their bathroom. They filed a claim with their insurance who summarily denied it based on the 14 water damage exclusion. The exclusion effectively states that the insurance company is not responsible for providing coverage if the water damage had been occurring over a period of 14 days or more. Our position was that any damage that occurred to the property during days 1 through 14 of the loss should […]
June 13, 2018
With the devastation of Hurricane Irma still fresh in our minds, many of us are probably wondering if we should purchase flood insurance before we get any strong tropical storms this year. Our regular homeowners’ policies do not cover damage from flooding (water that is rising from the ground), even it happens because of a hurricane or heavy rainfall, so investigating the costs and benefits of flood insurance is certainly worthwhile. Why Have Flood Insurance According to FEMA, flooding is the most common natural disaster in the U.S. causing millions of dollars in damage each year. The damage from […]
May 11, 2018
Hurricane Season begins in a few short weeks, and the good news is that researchers are predicting fewer major storms than last year. The bad news is that they are still predicting a greater number of storms than average, including 13 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes of category 3 or higher. Whether or not these strong storms will hit Central Florida and Orlando is unknown. However, even unnamed tropical storms can damage our homes and other property, and the odds that at least one major storm will cause havoc and damage in our area are pretty high. […]
April 18, 2018
Many of us in Orlando have just recently finished having our homes repaired from Hurricane Irma damage, so it seems early to be thinking about the 2018 hurricane season. However, the season starts June 1 – less than two months from now – and hurricane scientists are predicting another whopper season! Now is the time to review your homeowners insurance policy and prepare your home and family for the storms to come. Review Your Florida Homeowners Insurance Policy When you’re upset and trying to assess the damage to your home following a severe storm, it is difficult to read […]
March 7, 2018
The state legislature is still working on repealing Florida’s no-fault auto insurance laws, so we don’t know the final outcome. However, what we do know is that if the legislature repeals the laws during the current legislative session, we could be seeing an end to personal injury protection (PIP) as soon as January, 2019. The laws doing away with PIP, proposed by both the House and the Senate, mandate another form of insurance for automobile drivers – bodily injury liability coverage. Since this change could be coming soon to Florida, it’s a good time for us to become more familiar […]
February 16, 2018
In 2019, we could see the end of PIP in Florida. Last month the Florida House of Representatives voted 88-15 to do away with our no-fault car insurance law, and the Senate is not far behind. What Does No PIP Mean for Florida? Ending the PIP requirement will mean the end of an era. The requirement that drivers have $10,000 in personal injury protection coverage has been the law for almost 40 years. Ending the requirement also means we’ll be ending our stint as one of only two states that doesn’t require drivers to buy bodily-injury liability insurance to […]
January 16, 2018
Car Accidents and Crash Injuries in Orlando Continue to Increase For the past five years, we have been experiencing a steady increase in the number of car accidents, injuries, and fatalities in Orange County. While the number of deaths from automobile crashes has increased from 124 to 182 (31.87%) during this time period, the total number of crashes has exceeded 30,000 and the number of injuries has exceeded 21,000, as shown in the following chart. With population growth and increasing tourism, the trend does not seem likely to change, so those of us who live in the Orlando area need […]
December 15, 2017
The latest Hurricane Irma Claims Data from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation show that so far, 853,356 damage claims have been made across Florida, with insured losses totaling more than $6 billion. According to insurance companies, almost 75% of the claims filed have been closed. If you’re one of those Florida property owners whose claim has not yet been closed satisfactorily or who has not yet filed a claim, help is available. At Malik Law, we’re working overtime to help clients get compensated fairly for damages to their property from Hurricane Irma. Insurance Claim Attorneys Can Help Filing a […]
October 18, 2017
It’s been just over 1 month now since the storm initially occurred and our office has literally received hundreds of phone calls related to filing a homeowner’s insurance claim for Hurricane Irma. Many clients are experiencing issues related to their Hurricane insurance claims. Attorney Malik created the following videos as an online resource providing accurate and up to date answers to questions you may have related to Hurrican Irma Insurance claims. Attorney Malik Provides Update on the Status of Hurricane Irma Insurance Claims in Florida Stories From Clients Regarding Their Hurricane Irma Insurance Claim What is Covered Under Your Home […]
September 26, 2017
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 […]