Fort Myers Hurricane Damage Lawyer

Fort Myers Hurricane Damage Attorneys

Florida residents understand that there is a risk of living in a state that is a hurricane-strike zone. Residents and businesses alike make preparations each year to protect their property from damage. Home and business owners also take out insurance policies that will cover their belongings in the event of a tropical storm or hurricane.

However, even the best preparation cannot prevent catastrophic damage to homes and businesses when a storm like Hurricane Ian comes through. This storm was considered a Category 4 hurricane, even though it had windspeeds only two miles less than a Category Five storm. The damages caused by the fourth-strongest hurricane ever in Florida’s history cannot easily be described.

Sadly, now that the storm is over and the clean-up process has begun, Florida home and business owners are already struggling with the insurance companies when making a claim for their losses.

Hurricane Damage Claims Can Be Complex Issues

When you purchased your residential or business insurance policy, you believed you would be covered in a hurricane or tropical storm. You have kept up with your payments, and you even “understood” when the insurer raised your premiums and paid a higher price.

Now, when you have experienced a devastating loss due to hurricane damage, your insurance company is denying, delaying, or diminishing your claim. They are trying to blame your losses on flooding instead of the wind storm. They are undervaluing your losses and not honoring the terms of your policy.

It is like adding insult to injury.

This is why it will be to your benefit to speak with a Fort Myers hurricane damage lawyer about your claim. Having an attorney manage your insurance claim can help ensure that you recover the full and fair value of your hurricane loss.

Insurance Companies Can Act In Bad Faith

Insurance policies are a legal contract between you and the insurer. When the insurance company does not honor the terms of its contract, that is called acting in Bad Faith. There are three ways that an insurance company can act in Bad Faith:

1. Delaying Your Claim

One of the most common ways that an insurance company can act in bad faith is to delay your claim. This is a tactic used to frustrate homeowners into giving up the claim process. They will wait until the last minute to respond to your claim and then extend the time limit to accomplish anything.

They can also request paperwork that they know you will have difficulty obtaining or “lose” important documents so that you have to resubmit them and start the process over.

Delayed claims can place additional hardships on you and your family. If you are experiencing unnecessary delays by your insurance company, it is time to speak with a Fort Myers hurricane attorney.

2. Undervaluing The Claim

Another way that an insurance company can act in bad faith is to undervalue the claim. Insurance adjusters may offer much less than the actual value of your loss, believing that you are desperate and will accept anything at this point in your life. This is not only a poor business practice but also unkind.

Contact a Fort Myers hurricane lawyer when the insurance company is trying to undervalue your claim. Your attorney can fight the claim and help secure the right amount for your losses.

3. Deny Your Claim

One of the most frustrating ways that an insurance company can act in bad faith is to outright deny the claim. When this happens, the adjuster tries to state that the damage to your home came from flooding instead of wind and rain. They deny the claim and tell you to contact your flood insurance company or FEMA.

Working with a Fort Myers hurricane damage attorney can help you overturn this denial and get the compensation you are entitled to for your hurricane losses.

Florida law requires that insurance companies act in Good Faith. These companies must provide the following services to you when making a hurricane damage insurance claim:

• The insurance company must acknowledge your claim within 14 days of being notified of your loss.
• You must be notified within 30 days if your claim will be paid in full, paid partially, or denied.
• You must be notified within 30 days that your claim is under review and that your payment or denial will come within 90 days of that notification.

When you work with a hurricane damage attorney, your lawyer will make sure that the insurance company acts in good faith and complies to these laws. Additionally, your attorney will make sure that your insurance company does not try to undervalue, delay or deny your insurance claim.

When large storms go through the state like Hurricane Ian, tens of thousands of insurance claims are made. Protect yourself and your claim by having legal representation right from the start of the claims process. Contact Landau Law today for a free case consultation.