Florida Wind Storm Damage Attorneys

Despite what you may imagine, winter storms cause just as much turmoil for insurance companies as they do the individuals’ property that was damaged in the storm. Unfortunately for the individuals, the insurance companies hold the power to get themselves out of the financial burden by pushing it onto others. Occasionally this is done unlawfully, and without just cause, which allows the policy-holding individual the liberty to seek compensation for the damages caused. Contacting legal assistance is the best way to maximize your chances for compensation, and to get more information on the best path to take.

Winter Storm Claims

Winter storms bring opportunities for damage to personal property, but there are a few that happen with more frequency than others. These instances tend to bring with them a large bill of repair. Structural damage to the roof and supporting structure is commonly caused from large accumulation of snow and ice, but also from falling tree limbs. This is often accompanied by claims of burst pipes from the cold weather, and auto-accidents due to the slippery conditions of the roadways.

Insurance Policies on Winter Storms

Several policies available for home and auto insurance cover the instances mentioned above for winter storm damage. The language in these policies can be confusing and ambiguous, but asking questions to a consultant and understanding the true coverage of your policy will save you from the headache of claim denial, or the realization that you aren’t covered for winter storm damage. Although there may be policies and coverages for damage caused by the winter weather as it happens, the melting of the ice and snow that causes flooding may not be covered under the same policy.

Claim Denial

If one of these sources of damage has happened to your property and you file a claim to seek support in the repair cost and find that your claim has been declined, there are a few possible reasons for this. To understand the situation, you must first step back and look at the reason for the insurance company to exist. Companies, by nature, exist to make a profit. They do this by having policies and terms in place that push some of the costs onto the policy holder, making them more money in return. Clauses like deductibles that must be met before they have to pay anything in compensation, and payout limits that prevent extremely large compensation amounts, safeguard their company from going bankrupt during a stormy season. Understanding these policies is often a source of frustration when it comes to policies not providing a payout that is felt to be deserved.

However, there are instances where these policies are twisted unlawfully, and legitimate claims are denied due to the questionable wording of a policy, or the large quantity of claims being filed against a company. The outcomes of these claims often end in either the insurance company underpaying what they owe to cover the damage, leaving you with the rest of the bill, or denying the claim entirely. This denial can be justified by the statement of homeowner negligence, resulting in the ensued damage. Unfortunately for the homeowner, there is no further justification after the denial due to negligence, which leaves the question of further prevention, and whether or not it would have been covered under a different circumstance.

Luckily, there are laws in place that safeguard against such a situation, and favor with the homeowner. If there is no clearly stated reason or policy in the denial that states the reason for the claims denial, then the policy holder is justified in seeking further compensation from the company. Past abuse of the insurance companies of using unclear language and ambiguous reasons of denial have prompted laws to be put in place that favor the homeowner instead of the insurance company in the instance of claim denial, and unjust policy payout.

Examining your policy and the reason for your claim denial will outline the clearest path to take when seeking legal help for your insurance claim denial. If you feel that you have been taken advantage and unlawfully had your claim denied, contact us to fill out a free case evaluation form to see what can be done to help your situation.