Cape Coral, Florida Hurricane Ian Insurance Claims Lawyers
The Cape Coral, Florida hurricane Ian insurance claims lawyers at Leader, Leader, & Zucker, PLLC are here to help you if your homeowner’s insurance claim was denied, if the payment of your claim was delayed, or if you believe your claim was underpaid. Hurricane Ian was one of the most devastating hurricanes to hit Florida in nearly 100 years. It caused widespread damage to many communities across Florida, leaving homes flooded and wrecked. Hurricane Ian’s 150- mile-per-hour winds left many homes in Cape Coral, Florida damaged. Roofs were blown off, patios destroyed, and in some cases, the interiors flooded or water damaged. Cape Coral, Florida is starting the first big push to clear streets of wreckage and sweep away the debris, but the cleanup process is likely to continue for weeks and the process of repairing damaged homes could take months.
If your property was damaged during hurricane Ian in Cape Coral, Florida, you are not alone. Many homeowners in Cape Coral, Florida are in the process of making insurance claims and hoping to rebuild as soon as possible. Yet, rebuilding can be costly, and many families rely on their homeowner’s insurance claim settlement to pay for repairs. The homeowner’s insurance claim process can be one of the most stressful parts of the aftermath of storm recovery.
Your homeowner’s insurance company has a responsibility to honor your insurance policy and pay you the settlement you may deserve. Yet, given the widespread devastation caused by hurricane Ian, many insurance adjusters and insurance companies will be stretched thin trying to investigate and settle claims. This is no excuse for a delayed or wrongfully denied claim. Every policy owner deserves fairness during the settlement process. Insurance companies may not always get the settlement process correct. Sometimes adjusters may not get their estimates of damages right and sometimes insurance companies might end up wrongfully denying a claim. If your homeowner’s insurance claim was denied, if payment was delayed, or if you feel that the settlement being offered doesn’t cover your losses, you may want to speak to the Cape Coral, Florida hurricane Ian insurance claims lawyers at Leader, Leader, & Zucker, PLLC.
Hurricane Ian Insurance Claim Denial Lawyers in Cape Coral, Florida Can Help You Understand Why Your Claim Was Denied
Leader, Leader, & Zucker, PLLC is a hurricane Ian insurance claim denial law firm in Cape Coral, Florida that can help you understand why your claim might have been denied. There are many reasons why a homeowner’s insurance claim might be denied. In some cases, exclusions or limitations in your policy may result in a claim being denied. But in other instances, errors, improper calculations on the part of an insurance adjuster, improper documentation, or even insurance bad faith might be the cause of your homeowner’s insurance claim denial. Here are some reasons why homeowner’s insurance claims might be denied after a hurricane:
- Your Home Was Damaged Due to Flooding and You Don’t Have Flood Insurance. You might assume that because you have homeowner’s insurance you are covered for flood damage. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Standard homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover flood damage. To have flood damage covered, you’ll need to already have flood insurance in place. The National Flood Insurance Program is the government-backed flood insurance program that gives homeowners who live in flood-prone areas the opportunity to purchase flood insurance. Issues can arise if you don’t live in a flood zone, but your home was flooded by hurricane Ian. As hurricanes get stronger and sea levels rise, this situation is likely to arise more frequently. Issues can also arise if your home was damaged due to flooding and water damage, and you don’t have flood insurance. Most standard homeowner’s insurance policies will cover water damage, but some policies might exclude coverage for all water damage if your home was damaged in a flood. Other policies might cover water damage, but not flood damage. Understanding the fine print of your policy is essential if your claim was denied. If your claim was denied or you believe it was underpaid and you have questions about your rights, reach out to the hurricane Ian insurance claim denial lawyers at Leader, Leader, & Zucker, PLLC in Cape Coral, Florida. We can read the fine print, look closely at your property damage, and help guide you on the next steps.
- Lapsed Coverage. If you missed a payment on premiums or didn’t renew your homeowner’s insurance coverage, you may find that there’s no insurance claim to be made. Yet, sometimes insurance companies lose information and make mistakes. If you believe you should be covered or paid your premiums on time and your homeowner’s insurance company claims you don’t have coverage, the hurricane Ian insurance claim denial lawyers at Leader, Leader, & Zucker, PLLC in Cape Coral, Florida may be able to help you.
- Missed Deadlines. It is your responsibility to let your insurance company know if your home was damaged during hurricane Ian. It is also your responsibility to submit proof of loss statements in a timely manner. If your insurance company doesn’t have all the information it needs to decide about your claim, your claim may be denied. If your claim was denied, the hurricane Ian insurance claim denial lawyers at Leader, Leader, & Zucker, PLLC in Cape Coral, Florida may be able to help you gather the required documentation you need to support your claim.
- Failing to Protect Your Home After a Storm. If your home was damaged in hurricane Ian, it is your responsibility to take steps to secure it from being further damaged. For example, if windows were broken, you may need to board them up to prevent more water from getting in. If your roof was damaged, you may need to use a tarp. If you cannot stay in your home while you await repairs, you may need to turn off utilities. Yet, because of hurricane Ian, bridges were destroyed and families may have trouble getting back to their homes. And sometimes insurance adjusters might claim that damage took place after a storm, when in fact, damage took place during the storm. If you are in a dispute with your insurance company about when damage took place or if your claim was denied because you couldn’t get to your home because of downed bridges, you may want to speak to the hurricane Ian insurance claim denial lawyers at Leader, Leader, & Zucker, PLLC in Cape Coral, Florida.
- Bad Faith. Insurance companies have a legal obligation to honor your insurance contract and pay your claim fairly and in a timely manner. Sometimes, however, insurance companies may intentionally misrepresent your policy, or may fail to properly investigate a claim. If you believe you have been a victim of insurance bad faith, the insurance claim denial lawyers at Leader, Leader, & Zucker, PLLC in Cape Coral, Florida may be able to help you. Our lawyers can read your policy, review your property damage, and help you with your claim.
If your insurance claim was denied, you may have the right to appeal the denial. The hurricane Ian insurance claim denial lawyers at Leader, Leader, & Zucker, PLLC in Cape Coral, Florida are here to help. We work closely with families to help them get the settlement for their homeowner’s insurance claim they may deserve under the law.
Hurricane Ian Homeowner’s Insurance Claim Denial Lawyers in Cape Coral, Florida: Know Your Rights
The hurricane Ian homeowner’s insurance claim denial lawyers in Cape Coral, Florida can help you understand your rights if your homeowner’s insurance claim was denied, payment was delayed, or if you believe your claim was underpaid. Florida’s homeowner’s claim bill of rights outlines important rights you might have as you navigate the insurance claim process. What are these rights? These rights include:
- Within 14 days of making your homeowner’s insurance claim, your insurance company must acknowledge your claim.
- Within 30 days of submitting your proof of loss forms to your insurance company, your homeowner’s insurance company must let you know whether your claim is covered in full, partially covered, denied, or under investigation.
- And within 90 days of submitting proof of loss, your insurance company must either pay your claim in full, pay the undisputed portion of your claim, or send you written notice that your claim was denied.
For many families struggling to rebuild in Cape Coral, Florida in the aftermath of hurricane Ian, many of these timelines have already begun. If you haven’t already let your homeowner’s insurance company know your property was damaged in the storm, or if you haven’t begun the process of submitting proof of loss forms, now might be the time to begin. The sooner you submit this information to your homeowner’s insurance company, the sooner your claim will be paid.
In the coming weeks, families may begin to get notice that claims were denied or they may not agree with the settlement amounts that insurance companies are offering. If your claim has been denied, or you don’t agree with the settlement amount, consider reaching out to the hurricane Ian homeowner’s insurance claim denial lawyers in Cape Coral, Florida today at Leader, Leader, & Zucker, PLLC. If you appeal the denial, and the insurance company owes you money, you may be entitled to receive payment for your claim and interest for delayed payment. The hurricane Ian homeowner’s insurance claim denial lawyers in Cape Coral, Florida at Leader, Leader, & Zucker, PLLC are here to help you.
Hurricane Ian Property Damage Insurance Claim Lawyers in Cape Coral, Florida
If your property was damaged during hurricane Ian, you may be wondering what might be covered by your standard homeowner’s insurance policy. The hurricane Ian property damage insurance claim lawyers in Cape Coral, Florida at Leader, Leader, & Zucker, PLLC are here to help you understand your policy and appeal a denied or underpaid claim. Standard homeowner’s insurance policies cover the repair or replacement of your home if it was damaged due to many causes, including a hurricane. Homeowner’s insurance will also typically cover damages to the contents of your home. If clothing was damaged, appliances were damaged, or furniture was damaged in the storm, this may also be covered under your homeowner’s insurance policy. If you need to live somewhere else while your home is being repaired or rebuilt, standard homeowner’s insurance may also cover these expenses. Whether you’ll get the full value of your home and the items in it lost or damaged during hurricane Ian will depend on whether you have actual cash value homeowner’s insurance or replacement cost homeowner’s insurance. Actual cash value policies may not pay you the full cost to repair and replace all items, because this coverage takes depreciation into account. If you have cash value homeowner’s insurance coverage, your insurance company will compensate you what it actually costs you to replace the items lost or damaged in the storm. Standard homeowner’s insurance coverage won’t cover flood damage, so this can also affect the value of your claim.
Understanding what is or isn’t covered can get complicated. The hurricane Ian property damage insurance claim lawyers in Cape Coral, Florida at Leader, Leader, & Zucker, PLLC are here to help you make sense of your policy and fight to help you get the best possible settlement permitted under the law. Contact us today if you have questions.
Contact a Hurricane Ian Property Damage Lawyer in Cape Coral, Florida Today
The hurricane Ian property damage lawyers in Cape Coral, Florida at Leader, Leader, & Zucker, PLLC are here to help you with your claim. If your homeowner’s insurance claim was denied or payment was delayed, you may have important rights under the law. Let Leader, Leader, & Zucker, PLLC help you today.