Most homeowners’ and renters’ insurance policies consider property damage as structural damage, repairing or replacing contents, and associated cleanup and relocation costs.
If you need help with your property damage claim or are dealing with an insurance carrier that stalled or denied your claim, a Boca Raton property damage lawyer can help. You do not have to try to fight the insurer alone.
Insurance Helps Cover Losses Due to Property Damage
Many property owners carry homeowners’ or business insurance. Some renters purchase a renters’ insurance policy. These policies cover property damage to both real and personal property.
Real property is the home, business, or other structures on the property. Most renters’ insurance does not cover real property. However, all three insurance policies cover personal property, which includes the contents of the home or business.
What Are Covered Events for Property Damage Claims?
Property damage claims generally include damage to a structure or its contents. This damage could occur in many ways and vary widely in severity.
The events covered by your property damage insurance will depend significantly on your unique policy and coverage. For example, most homeowners’ insurance policies do not cover flooding or storm surge damage. Some may not cover other types of hurricane damage. A property damage attorney can carefully review your policy to ensure you have coverage for your recent event.
Some of the most common property damage claims our attorneys handle include:
- Hurricane damage
- Wind damage
- Fire and smoke damage
- Water damage from appliances or plumbing
- Mold claims
- Roof damage
- Defective construction
- Commercial property damage
- Intentional actions, such as robbery
What Are the Recoverable Losses in a Property Damage Claim?
The expenses your property damage claim will cover will depend on the policy. These are some typically recoverable losses.
Structural Damage and Repair
Your insurance policy should cover repairing damage to your home or business. It could also cover repairs for detached garages, sheds, fences, and other structures. Sometimes, you may have damage to your roof, a window or door, or your floors. Your insurer would consider repairs for any of these as structural damage to your real property.
When the property is a total loss, your policy could provide compensation to rebuild the structure, depending on your coverage limits.
Contents Repair and Replacement
Your insurance policy likely covers the contents of your home or business. This is also the primary purpose of renters’ insurance. Your policy would cover almost anything of value inside your home, such as appliances, furniture, electronics, and more.
Cleanup Costs
Many property damage events leave your property in a mess. Your policy will likely cover the cost of removing burned items, smoke-damaged furniture and carpets, water-damaged items, mold, and construction debris. Your insurer should provide payment to a remediation company for these costs.
Relocation Expenses
If you cannot stay in your home during repairs, you could get compensation for a rental house or hotel room, food, laundry expenses, and more.
Business Interruption Coverage
If your business cannot open or operate during repairs, you might have coverage for the interruption in your income.
How Can a Property Damage Lawyer Help With Your Claim?
Hiring an attorney to handle your property damage claim comes with many benefits. For example, a disaster recovery lawyer can offer peace of mind—especially after a major storm or fire. Then, you can focus on everything you need to do daily and let them handle the claim.
You can trust your lawyer to seek the money you need and deserve and fight to get you back into your home or business as soon as possible. Expect them to take these steps to pursue your claim.
Documenting Your Losses
Your attorney will itemize, document, and value your losses, including property repairs and content replacement. Thus, it’s critical to document and insure your property. Even with insurance, you must prove the damaged or missing contents and have evidence of the damage that occurred.
Understanding Your Policy Coverage
Your attorney will review your policy and explain your covered losses, coverage limits, and other details that could affect your payout.
Handling the Claim
Your lawyer will ensure your claim proceeds properly and your insurer takes it seriously. They will complete and submit all necessary paperwork, document your losses, and demand fair compensation based on your insurance policy.
Communicating With the Insurance Adjuster
The law firm will manage all communication with your insurance carrier, such as convincing it to reconsider your claim, demanding it stop unnecessary delays, and stopping bad-faith actions as they occur. We will fight for the money you deserve.
How Long Do I Have to File a Property Damage Claim in Florida?
Generally, your insurer has verbiage in your contract that asks you to notify it of any damage to your covered property as soon as possible. Each state may have a statutory deadline as well. For example, you have up to a year to file a property damage claim under Florida Statutes § 627.70132. It is vital to meet this deadline, or the insurance carrier could deny your claim.
What if, after meeting the deadline, the insurance company refuses to act in good faith and pay for your covered losses? Under Florida Statutes § 624.1551, you can pursue a case against your insurance company for bad faith or breach of contract. Like other contract claims, you may have up to five years to file this lawsuit. Other states may offer more or less time to pursue a bad-faith lawsuit.
Do you need help getting the payout to repair your home or business or replace the contents? If so, you can talk to a property damage lawyer to determine your next steps.
Talk to Our Florida Property Damage Team About Your Claim Today
Ged Lawyers provides consultations for Florida property owners who need help managing their damage claims. We handle property damage claims regularly as one of our primary practice areas, so our attorneys have the knowledge, experience, and skills you need to get the money you deserve. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help with your claim.
