If you purchased insurance to protect your home, your policy outlines how to file a claim for property damage. Home insurance claims start with reporting damage, filing a claim, and documenting your covered losses. From there, you will meet with a claims adjuster, who will examine your home, assess the damage, and start the settlement negotiation process.
You do not have to manage all the moving parts of a home insurance claim without legal support. Florida homeowner insurance lawyers handle claims frequently and can help you get compensation from your policy. A free home insurance claim review can help you understand how home insurance claims work and get started on the road to financial recovery so you can start putting your home—and your life—back together.
Report Any Damaging Event to Your Homeowners’ Insurance Company Immediately
After a fire, severe weather, or other act damages or destroys your home, you need time to contain the damage and secure your family. However, you should report your property damage to your insurance company as soon as possible. A delay can be costly since you have a limited time to file your claim.
A delay in filing your claim could call the severity of your home’s damage into question and possibly void your claim. If a Florida property damage lawyer represents you, they can help you understand and meet the filing deadline and avoid the risks of reporting the damage and filing a claim too late.
Obtain and Complete Insurance Claim and Proof of Loss Forms
A homeowners’ insurance claim form is a multi-page document requesting a wide range of detailed information about your claim. Depending on your homeowners insurance policy and provider, the claim form may ask for the following:
- Policyholder information
- Damage and loss information
- Claim payment/payout details
It will also include a declaration page and request a detailed Proof of Loss form. This required document generally includes:
- Your claim’s monetary value
- Documentation supporting that value
- The date the property damage occurred
- The cause of the property damage
- Policyholder identifying information
You must submit the Proof of Loss if requested. However, you do not have to complete it alone. If you are filing your claim with a lawyer’s support, they will manage all forms and paperwork related to your claim.
Understand How Your Homeowners Policy Defines Covered Losses
Every homeowners’ insurance company has unique guidelines, and no two policies are identical. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (FLOIR) cites the following losses as standard (included in most policies):
- The primary structure of your home
- Outbuildings (sheds, garages, fences, etc.)
- Outside property (landscaping, pools, etc.)
- Additional Living Expenses (ALE) if relocation is necessary
- Personal liability due to negligence-based claims
Covered losses can also include your personal belongings inside the home, such as clothes, toys, furnishings, electronics, appliances, and jewelry.
Collect Evidence Documenting Your Covered Losses
Your evidence collection will include bills, receipts, and estimates for all your covered losses. Keep all receipts for ALE and other necessary expenses (such as tarps and boarding materials to make temporary repairs). Along with documentation, take photos and videos of the following:
- Damage to the primary dwelling from multiple angles
- Damage to landscaping, outbuildings, and fencing
- Damage to your furnishings and personal belongings
Whenever possible, also include pictures of your home before the damaging event. Check your smartphone and cloud account(s) and ask friends, family, and neighbors for “before” photos to document your property. In addition to photos and videos, create a detailed inventory list, including everything that was damaged.
Prepare for the Insurance Adjuster’s Visit to Your Home
After the filing process, an adjuster will manage your homeowners insurance claim. One of their responsibilities is to tour your home and examine the damage in person. They will assess the needed repairs and their value or declare your home a total loss and estimate its replacement value.
The claims adjuster might also:
- Ask questions about how the damage occurred
- Take photos and/or video footage
- Take measurements, where applicable
- Clarify how your policy defines covered losses
- Create and submit a detailed written report
If you have a property damage lawyer, they can accompany you to the inspection, which can help them obtain estimates for repairs and inform settlement negotiations.
A Lawyer in Your Area Can Negotiate the Best Possible Claim Settlement for You
Your insurance carrier will make a settlement offer based on the adjuster’s assessment. You do not have to accept the first offer your insurer makes. Instead, your homeowners insurance attorney could negotiate on your behalf for a higher settlement. They can:
- Prepare an independent claim assessment
- Receive and review settlement offers
- Make counteroffers where appropriate
- Fight hard to maximize your compensation
If you own your home outright, you will receive a check directly. If you are still paying it off, your mortgage lender’s name will likely also be on the check. In that case, the mortgage company will likely oversee the repair process to protect their interest in the property.
Additional Benefits of Hiring a Home Insurance Claims Attorney in Florida
Hiring a lawyer means you can concentrate on caring for your family without losing valuable time on your claim. Your disaster recovery attorney can communicate on your behalf and manage all information and evidence requests. Your legal team can also:
- Protect you from bad faith insurance practices, per Florida Statute 624.155
- Submit a complete and accurate claim form with required attachments
- File a well-documented appeal if the insurance adjuster denies your initial request
Our homeowners’ insurance lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we charge nothing upfront. In fact, our legal support is risk-free, since you pay nothing out of pocket and nothing at all if you do not receive compensation.
Learn More About How Home Insurance Claims Work with a Free Consultation
If your home was damaged and you are ready to file an insurance claim, you do not have to do it alone. At GED Lawyers, we help homeowners get fair and appropriate compensation from their insurance companies.
Learn more about how home insurance claims work and how our law firm can help you optimize your compensation. Contact one of our consultation team members for your no-cost, no-obligation claim review.
