It is important that you know how to file a wind damage insurance claim in Florida, as such a claim may be the most immediate path to compensation. Your first step is contacting your insurer and disclosing the damage to your property. Then, you will file a formal claim, which you may do through a website, phone app, or other means.
Filing the wind damage insurance claim is only the start of the claims process, however. You must next ensure that the insurance company processes your claim in a timely manner, and that you receive fair compensation for your property damage.
If you’re concerned about encountering bad-faith insurance practices after filing a wind damage claim, you could benefit from hiring a Florida property damage lawyer. They can handle all communications with the claims adjuster and fight for a fair settlement.
What to Do After Filing Your Wind Damage Insurance Claim in Florida
How to file a wind damage insurance claim depends on the processes your insurer has in place. Upon notifying the insurer of your damages, you should:
Review the Liable Insurance Policy
You should understand the basics of your insurance policy when pursuing damages. Be sure to review any details involving deductibles, exclusions, and filing deadlines. Your insurance policy may cover these types of damage:
- Roof damage: Roofs are among the most expensive and important aspects of any structure. If wind displaced or damaged shingles, metal roofing, underlayment, or any other feature of your roof, repairs could be compensable under your policy.
- Damage from falling items (like trees): If a tree, branch, light pole, or any other item fell into your home, the resulting damage to your home should be part of your claim for damages.
- Damage to siding: If the siding of your home became damaged because of wind gusts, flying debris, falling items, or any other wind-related hazards, you could seek fair compensation to repair or replace the siding.
- Damage to windows: Wind can damage the integrity of windows, whether through smashing, cracking, loosening seals, or other forms of damage.
By understanding your policy, you can recognize what you’re entitled to and whether the insurer is handling your claim in good faith.
Document the Damage
To have a successful property damage claim, you need documentation. This may involve:
- Taking photographs of all wind-related damage
- Taking videos of the wind damage happening
- Keeping repair estimates and correspondence with licensed contractors
- Receipts, bills, and invoices for the cost of anything you spent out of pocket related to the damage (such as tarps to prevent further damage)
You want as much information as possible to support your wind damage claim.
Mitigate Further Damage to Your Property
Your insurance provider is only responsible for the damage caused by a covered event, such as a hurricane, tropical storm, storm surge, or tornado. It’s not responsible for any damage that arises afterward from unmitigated circumstances.
For instance, imagine that a hurricane tore the shingles off your roof. You didn’t patch the hole, and rainwater caused water damage that led to mold growth. In that instance, the insurer would only be responsible for patching the hole in your roof, not getting rid of the mold.
Mitigating further property damage depends on the devastation to your property. It may involve installing dehumidifiers, removing soggy drywall, and boarding up broken windows.
Consider Hiring a Property Damage Lawyer
The insurance claims process is riddled with pitfalls, and a single wrong step could compromise your financial recovery. Many claimants hire Florida property damage lawyers because:
- They do not have the time or psychological strength to deal with an insurance claim.
- They deserve significant compensation, and they want all the help available to build the strongest possible claim.
- They are unfamiliar with the property claims process, including negotiating with insurance companies.
- They’ve run into bad-faith insurance practices that hurt their chances of recovering a fair payout.
You don’t even need a specific reason to have a lawyer handle your wind damage insurance claim. If you don’t want to deal with uncooperative insurance adjusters and their practices, you deserve legal representation.
What Is the Value of Hiring a Wind Damage Insurance Claim Lawyer?
A lawyer from our legal team will handle every aspect of the property damage claims process, including:
- Documenting and calculating your property damage: Our property damage attorneys and investigators personally document clients’ losses. We ensure that your valid claim includes a complete visual and written record of your property damage.
- Submitting all necessary documentation to insurers: Insurance companies demand certain documentation, such as invoices for property repairs. We will submit all documentation in a timely manner, ensuring there are no preventable delays in your claim.
- Negotiating with insurers: We will negotiate for a fair settlement with the liable insurance companies. Our background as aggressive negotiators will come in handy.
- Taking any necessary legal measures: If an insurance company acts in bad faith, we will explain your legal options for pursuing fair compensation within the timeframe the state allows for pursuing legal action.
Our property damage law firm has helped many claimants secure fair settlements from insurers.
We Determine Whether the Insurance Company Rightfully Denied Your Claim
Many times, property owners file claims with their insurers, only to face allegations that the damage isn’t covered. Our lawyers may find that these allegations are baseless and rooted in bad-faith insurance tactics––strategies that insurers use to unjustly deny wind damage claims.
Our lawyers comb through the facts of your insurance policy to determine what losses are covered and what are not. By offering comprehensive legal services, you can rest assured that we’re fighting for the money you need to repair or replace your damaged property.
Call Ged Lawyers Today for a Free Consultation About Your Wind Damage Claim
Wind damage claims are time-sensitive matters, and we want to start preparing your claim as soon as possible. We will waste no time documenting the damage, arranging paperwork, and engaging the insurance company in settlement negotiations. However, we must first hear from you. The sooner you call, the sooner we can start fighting for financial recovery.
Call Ged Lawyers today for your free initial claim review.
