If your hurricane claim has been denied or you have received a lowball offer, contact our aggressive Florida hurricane lawyers today
Hurricane Irma was one of the strongest hurricanes recorded in history. Its winds increased in strength up to 180 miles an hour as it barreled through the Atlantic Ocean. It caused nearly $65 billion dollars in damage to the areas it impacted, such as Cuba, numerous islands throughout the Caribbean, and Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Though such a storm was clearly destructive and caused devastating amounts of damage, many insurance companies did everything they could to deny claims. Here are a few of the most common reasons insurance companies try to deny hurricane damage claims.
Flood insurance
Many insurance companies argue that the water damage caused by the hurricane requires flood insurance, which many people do not have. Homeowners in certain areas are required to purchase flood insurance, but in reality, more than half of the homes that are damaged by floodwaters are located outside of these zones.
Even for those who have federal flood insurance, it is surprising for most to learn that only the structure is covered. Damage to outdoor properties may be denied.
Policy exclusions
If you take the time to dig deep into your insurance policy, you find some unnerving clauses. For example, one such clause allows insurance companies to deny coverage for two simultaneous catastrophic events, if one of the events was not covered by insurance. For example, say that a tree fell on your house, which also suffered flood damage. If the claim is denied because of a lack of flood insurance coverage, the tree damage may also be denied as well.
The damage was preexisting
Many insurance companies attempt to deny coverage if they are able to argue that some of the damage was preexisting. For example, the insurance company may argue that a roof was already damaged before the hurricane, which was the primary reason subsequent damage occurred (e.g., why the roof collapsed). As a homeowner, it is important to have records of regular maintenance to show that you take good care of your home.
You did not mitigate your losses
Insurance companies may deny coverage if the homeowner did not try to prevent additional damage from occurring. Most insurance policies require that homeowners protect their property from further damage. For example, if there is a hole in your roof, put a cover over it to prevent additional leaks. Try to dry wet carpet as much as possible to prevent mold. Of course, if you did everything within your power to prevent additional damage, the insurance company may not be able to ethically make this argument against you.
Has your Hurricane Irma claim been denied? If so, contact us today for legal guidance you can trust
If your hurricane damage claim has been denied, let leading Florida hurricane attorneys at GED Lawyers help. Our attorneys are aggressive and work hard to make sure insurance companies pay you the money you deserve’ and if they don’t, we take them to court. We have collected tens of millions of dollars from insurance companies for those facing losses from Florida hurricanes and other disasters. To schedule a free case review with our skilled Florida disaster recovery attorneys, call 844-443-3529 or visit us online. We have offices throughout Florida, including Panama City.
