Massachusetts is no stranger to hurricane damage. Many homeowners in the Bay State experience serious property damage due to high winds, heavy rains, and other elements of these dangerous storms. But insurance companies may not be willing to help homeowners get the compensation they need to repair their homes.
Are you in Massachusetts facing challenges with your insurance company after suffering hurricane damage? A Massachusetts hurricane property damage lawyer from GED Lawyers is here to help you manage your claim and ensure you get the compensation you are entitled to. You can get help from a disaster recovery lawyer to file new claims, get answers on previous claims, appeal denials, and file bad faith claims against insurance companies that refuse to abide by your policy agreement.
Why Hire a Hurricane Lawyer in Massachusetts
It is essential to consider getting a lawyer to help with your hurricane insurance claim. We can help you manage all aspects of your claim to reduce the stress of dealing with insurance companies and make the claims process as smooth as possible.
Here is how a lawyer from our firm can help your case:
- Go over your insurance policy to determine what is and is not covered
- Gather evidence of property damage from wind, rain, sleet, and other elements of a hurricane
- Prove that the hurricane caused your home’s damage
- Build a thorough and accurate claim to reduce the likelihood of it being denied
- Hire experts to calculate the true cost of your damages
- Handle all communications with your insurance company
- Protect you from actions of bad faith
Our law firm has helped many clients in Massachusetts and Florida maximize their hurricane damage claims and recover the compensation they deserve. We offer free, no-obligation case reviews so you can learn how much your hurricane damage claim is worth.
You can always afford to hire us because we take our hurricane damage cases on a contingency-fee basis, meaning you do not owe any upfront fees, and you only pay when we get compensation on your behalf.
Types of Hurricane Damage Your Insurance Policy Might Cover
Depending on the scope of your homeowner’s insurance policy and any policy additions, the following hurricane damage may be covered:
- Costs to repair damage to your home or other property
- Costs to replace damaged property and personal belongings
- Costs to clean up your property of debris
- Reimbursement of costs to protect your property before a storm
- Additional living expenses for temporary accommodations after damage leaves your home uninhabitable
You can meet with a Massachusetts hurricane damage attorney from our firm to review your policies, calculate the cost of your damages, and build a thorough claim.
Insurance Companies May Attempt to Undermine Hurricane Claims
It is common for Massachusetts residents to face hurdles when filing claims with their insurance for hurricane damage. Insurance companies might try to deny claims and offer less compensation to protect their bottom line. But one of our hurricane claim attorneys can make sure that does not happen. Here are some ways insurance companies undermine hurricane damage claims:
- Denying claims for no valid reason
- Waiting until the last minute to respond to claims
- Delaying different steps of the claims process, like reviewing appraisals
- Not providing compensation in a timely manner
- Ignoring or missing damage covered by the policy
- Miscategorizing damage as not covered
- Offering less compensation
We work hard to prevent delays and denials so you can get the money you need to repair your home as soon as possible.
Massachusetts Hurricane Insurance Policies
In Massachusetts, homeowners’ insurance policies often include coverage for damage caused by hurricanes and other natural disasters. But this coverage may be limited, requiring you to add more policies or upgrade to a policy with more comprehensive coverage.
In general, a homeowner’s insurance policy could cover the following hurricane damage:
- Wind damage, such as shingles ripped from the roof
- Hail damage, which can break windows, damage siding, and more
- Water damage not due to flooding, like rain or sleet that blows into the house during the storm
- Debris damage or fallen branches or trees that damage the house
In most cases, you need flood insurance to get compensation for hurricane and storm-related flooding in your home or on your property. But many homeowners’ insurance policies include coverage for other buildings and structures on your property, including detached garages, carports, sheds, and more.
There is not any official hurricane insurance policy out there. Instead, homeowners’ insurance comes with additional coverage when there is a named storm. During this window, any damage caused by the storm should be covered. That is thanks to a Named Storm Deductible policy, where the cost of storm damage must meet a specific deductible (out-of-pocket expenses) before the additional coverage kicks in.
What You Can Do to Help Your Hurricane Property Damage Claim
There are many steps you can take to help your property damage claim. The Division of Insurance in Massachusetts recommends the following:
- Document all the damage with photos and videos.
- Keep a list of all the damaged and undamaged property.
- Board up your home, use tarps, and otherwise protect your home from suffering any more damage.
- Save all communications with your insurance company and take notes anytime you speak with them.
- Review your insurance policy to understand how much time you have to file a claim and file it as soon as possible.
- Consult a lawyer before taking a settlement from your insurance company to ensure that you are getting the compensation that best reflects your losses.
Our Massachusetts Hurricane Property Damage Attorneys Can Get Started Today
If you are struggling to get the compensation you need from your insurance company after a hurricane, you can work with a Massachusetts hurricane property damage lawyer from GED Lawyers. We can handle many aspects of your hurricane insurance claim so you can focus on returning to your life.
Call our office for a free case review and learn the true value of your claim.
