4 Scenarios When You Should Immediately Contact a Homeowners’ Insurance Claims
Floridians are still recovering from Hurricane Matthew’s strong winds and heavy rains. The storm closed hundreds of businesses and caused billions of dollars in damage to residential and commercial properties.
Sadly, many homeowners learned firsthand just how heartless insurance companies can be when their policyholders make claims. If your insurance provider denied or undervalued your claim, or if your contractor sent by the insurance company botched the repairs, contact Leader & Leader P.A.
Michael D. Leader is a Fort Lauderdale insurance claims attorney who will evaluate your case and provide legal guidance. Mr. Leader will help you recover fair compensation or reopen your claim so your property can be restored to its pre-disaster condition. Call 954-523-2020 today to schedule a free consultation.
Read on to learn four scenarios when you should contact a homeowners’ insurance claims lawyer:
- Poor Reconstruction Technique
In recent years, it has become a common trend for first-party homeowners’ insurance policies to contain a “managed repair” clause. This may give the insurance provider the option to choose a contractor to repair a claimant’s property (depending upon the language in your policy).
Insurance companies often sugarcoat these clauses, claiming they are in the best interests of policyholders because claimants do not have to find their own contractors. However, profit-minded insurers usually hire the lowest-cost contractors to complete repairs, which can result in a botched restoration job and possibly more damage. Moreover, he contractor us under pressure to make the insurance company happy so they get more business from them as opposed to being loyal to you.
In most cases, homeowners’ insurance companies are required to restore claimants’ properties to their pre-loss condition. Unfortunately, budget-friendly contractors may not use the same reconstruction techniques as their higher-priced competitors. If your property was not returned to its pre-disaster state – even if the contractor used the same materials – you may be entitled to a recover to correct the issue, even if it means having everything torn out and re-done.
- Low-Quality Materials
As previously mentioned, homeowners’ insurance companies usually have to restore properties to their pre-loss condition. However, in an effort to cut costs, some contractors use lower-quality materials that look similar to the originals. If this happened on you property, contact an insurance claims attorney to discuss your situation.
- Private Adjuster Undervalued the Damage
If you make a homeowners’ insurance claim, your insurer will likely send an in-house adjuster or hire a private adjuster (who gets most, if not all, of their business from insurance companies in most cases) to evaluate the damage. These adjusters represent the insurance company and, therefore, have incentive to minimize the damage repair estimate.
If the insurance adjuster undervalued the damages to your home, contact an insurance claims lawyer. If the repairs have not been completed, your attorney may recommend that you hire a public adjuster to evaluate your policy, calculate the damages and negotiate with your insurance company.
- Contractor Damaged Your Property during Repairs
It is always a good idea to hire a professional to review a contractor’s repairs. Sometimes a botched restoration job can actually cause more damage to a property, which can cost the homeowner thousands of dollars down the line. If your contractor sent by your insurance company damaged your property and your insurance company is denying accountability, contact an insurance claims attorney.
If you were cheated by your homeowners’ insurance provider, contact Leader & Leader P.A. Michael D. Leader is an insurance claims attorney in Fort Lauderdale who will compassionately represent your interests. Call 954-523-2020 today to schedule a free consultation.