Citizens Insurance Re-Opens Irma Claims

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida. According to the Sun Sentinel, over one-third of Hurricane Irma claims have been re-opened by Citizens Property Insurance Corp. As many as 24,500 claims have been re-opened to give policyholders or their insurance claims lawyers the ability to present new information about the claims. Some homeowners may have believed that their claims were closed. Citizens gave homeowners with extensive property damage initial settlements so they could begin repairs. These homeowners may not have been aware that they could dispute the claim if the money initially provided didn’t cover the cost of Irma-related repairs. Many of the claims that have been re-opened include those where individuals received payments that were insufficient. Should you re-open your Irma claim? If you believe that the payment your insurance company provided you was less than the cost of your repairs (minus your deductible of course0, or if you are still waiting to get a contractor’s estimate f...

Still Have an Open Claim From Hurricane Irma?

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida. According to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, approximately 92,098 Hurricane Irma insurance claims remain open. If you are one of those homeowners or those commercial property owners whose claim remains open, the stress can be immense. You may have had to pay for repairs out of pocket and may be awaiting the settlement of your claim. You could be struggling to make ends meet due to the delay. While it is reported that 87% of residential claims have been settled, only 51% of commercial residential property claims have been closed. Unfortunately, these numbers are likely misleading as many of the closed “paid” claims were paid below the value of the claim (often referred to as under or short paid).  Furthermore, according to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation reports approximately 255,000 residential and commercial residential claims closed without payment; many of those may have been improperly denied. So, while homeowners may finally b...

Five Signs Your Roof May Be Damaged

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida. Roof damage, when left unfixed, can lead to more costs down the line. In addition to being more-costly going forward, if you fail to address a leaky roof or make repairs when they are needed, your insurance company may later reject a claim, claiming that your failure to mitigate your damages made the problem worse. Additionally, if your roof has suffered damage after a storm, you may need to take certain measures to secure your home from water damage. For example, you may be required to put up a tarp to prevent leakage.  However, you do not want to make actual repairs before putting the insurance company on notice and giving them an opportunity to inspect.  In many instances, if they do not respond promptly and/or cannot get someone out to inspect quickly enough, it is generally a good practice to put them on notice that you are commencing repairs on a particular date and if they want to inspect, they need to come before that day.  It is advisable to give ...

Insurance Companies Suing Policyholders When Exercising Their Option to Repair

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida. More and more in Florida, insurance companies are putting clauses in their insurance policies that require homeowners to use the insurance company’s “preferred contractor.” This practice, also known as “option to repair” or “managed repair” has been causing some serious problems for homeowners who have had to make claims after Hurricanes Irma and Maria. According to the Sun Sentinel, one insurance company has gone as far as to sue its own policyholders for failing to abide by the policy’s managed repair plans. The insurance company claims that policyholders were aware that they were electing to take out a policy with a managed repair clause. However, some homeowners who may have not read their policies before signing or who may not have understood the fine print, may be finding themselves unsure what to do. Insurance companies may elect to use their “option to repair” or “managed repair” rights instead of paying homeowners and al...

Unpaid Insurance Claims After Irma and Maria

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida. Many insurance claims remain unpaid after hurricanes Irma and Maria. According to the Palm Beach Post, approximately 50% of insurance claims remain unpaid or delayed after Irma in Florida. Homeowners have been forced to finance repairs themselves while they wait for insurance companies to come through. For some families, this means maxed out credit cards and financial difficulties. The insurance industry was hit hard this hurricane season, with hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria all striking one after another in short succession. There simply are not enough adjusters out there to review all the claims that have been made. The claims process has been slow. Furthermore, with so much damage, there may also be a shortage of available contractors. Florida is not the only place hit hard by unpaid claims. In Puerto Rico, unpaid claims from Maria are still hurting businesses. According to Caribbean Business, many businesses have had to stop operating, further in...

Work from Home? Your Homeowner's Insurance May Not Cover Your Losses

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida. Many Americans work from home or run a home business. Others are part of the gig economy and take on part-time jobs for which they are considered contractors or are self-employed. If you don’t see clients in your home or don’t have customers visiting your home, you may think that you don’t need insurance, but you could be wrong. According to the Washington Post, your homeowner’s insurance company could  deny your claim if the adjuster decides that it is a business claim rather than a homeowner’s claim. Depending on the type of work or business you run, you may want to consider a policy, which covers business related losses. What does business specific insurance cover? For one, it may cover injuries clients sustain while patronizing your home business. If you meet a client at home and he or she suffers a slip and fall, you might think you can use your homeowner’s liability insurance to cover you. But your homeowner’s insurance might not cover...

7 Signs of Leaky Pipes and What to Do If Your Home Sustained Water Damage

It’s easy to underestimate the destructive power of water, but even a small leak can cause severe damage if left unaddressed. Unfortunately, just because you have homeowner’s insurance doesn’t mean your policy will cover your losses. Whether or not your insurance company will cover your repairs ultimately depends on the language of your policy. For example, if you purchased a standard HO3 insurance policy, it should pay for damage resulting from a burst pipe, but it might not cover flood damage. That means if the damage occurred outside your home, you will need evidence to prove that it was caused by a “covered peril.” If your home sustained water damage but your insurance company refused to cover your losses or offered an unfair payout, contact my office to discuss your situation. I will evaluate your policy, answer your questions, and help you enforce your rights. Call 954-523-2020 to schedule a free initial consultation with a Fort Lauderdale insurance lawye...

Would a Wind Mitigation Inspection Reduce Your Homeowner's Insurance Premiums?

If you own a home in Florida, then chances are your homeowner’s insurance payments take a sizeable bite out of your monthly budget. Although there are many potential ways to reduce your premiums, one of the most effective (and often overlooked) is obtaining a Wind Mitigation Inspection and correcting any deficiencies identified during the inspection. As its name implies, a Wind Mitigation Inspection involves an assessment of your home to identify strengths and weaknesses that make the home more or less susceptible to wind damage. Your insurance carrier recognizes that if your home is less susceptible wind storm damage, the value of any wind storm claims you file will likely be lower. As such, Wind Mitigation Inspections that show that the home is prepared for a storm usually translate into lower homeowner’s insurance premiums. Even though it became mandatory in 2006 and most homeowners have had at least one inspection performed, it is worth ensuring you are getting credit for all ...

How Long Can Your Homeowner’s Insurance Company Delay Paying a Settled Claim?

The costs of recovering from a hurricane, flood, fire, or other disaster will start accruing immediately after the incident. From emergency repairs to finding a temporary residence, there are a lot of expenses that you may have to cover out of your own pocket before your insurance company pays out, and you may be wondering exactly how long your homeowner’s insurance provider can wait to release payment after settling your claim. Pursuant to Section 627.4265 of the Florida Statutes, a homeowner’s insurance company has 20 days to tender payment after a settlement has been reached, unless you and your insurance company have mutually agreed on a different timeframe for the tender of payment, or the tender of payment is conditioned upon your execution of a release. If your insurance company fails to pay out your claim within this timeframe, the payment will start bearing interest at a rate of 12 percent per year from the date of the agreement.  We strongly suggest you consult a law...

How Roof Repair Fraud Is Inflating Homeowner’s Insurance Rates in Florida

It’s no secret that Florida has the highest homeowner’s insurance rates in the country. As we explained in a previous blog, premiums in Florida are 109-percent higher than the national average. Although our state’s vulnerability to hurricanes certainly contributes to these high rates, fraud has also played a role in premium inflation. One type of fraud that is growing more common across Florida is perpetuated by dishonest contractors. You may have seen ads promising a “free new roof,” which if true could save a homeowner $6,000 to $60,000 or more. But as you probably suspect, these new roofs aren’t free at all and actually end up costing you and the general public a lot of money. These ads are often promoted by contractors who are not even licensed roofers. The pitch usually goes something like this: The contractor knocks on your door, says he can offer you a free roof, and asks to inspect your roof. During this inspection, the contractor intentionally damages your roo...

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