Attorney K.C. Williams founded the Williams Law, P.A. in Tampa, Florida, more than 25 years ago to help people whose homes have suffered damage from all types of events, including hurricanes. As a Florida hurricane damage lawyer, he is familiar with insurance laws and the claims process, and he uses this experience to help his clients recover maximum compensation for the damage they have sustained.
Hurricanes are unpredictable and can be devastating. If your home has suffered hurricane damage, you must seek a Florida insurance claim lawyer who is familiar with the claims process and will aggressively pursue your claim.
If you have questions concerning damages caused by Hurricane Ian or Idalia, call (800) 451-6786 today to schedule a free consultation with our Florida hurricane claim attorneys.
Most hurricanes cause catastrophic damage, which insurance adjusters often undervalue. Adjusters also may do only cursory inspections of your property and may miss certain types of damage.
Our Team of Florida Hurricane Damage Lawyers Can Help You Pursue All Your Hurricane Claims, Including the Following Types of Damage
- Roof repairs
- Foundation damage
- Driveway cracks
- Wall splintering
- Appliance electrical problems
- Uprooted trees and landscaping
- Destroyed personal property
Tips for Reducing Hurricane Damage to Your Property
1. Know Your Challenger
Hurricanes are classified by category. Some are minimally damaging at a Category 1 level, while others, like Category 4 or 5, have the potential to cause severe damage and to be life-threatening. Before preparing for a hurricane, you must know what kind you’re dealing with. Severe storms are more challenging to protect against, and you must avoid being at home when the storm hits.
Comparatively, a more minor storm with a lower classification causes less damage and is easier to protect against. For example, if a significant storm approaches, shutting storm doors, using plywood to cover windows, and taping down furniture helps. All vehicles should park inside garages when possible, and people should usually evacuate. With smaller storms, closing storm shutters and putting fabric panels over the doors and windows might be enough to prevent damage from debris.
2. Know the Risk of a Flood
Not all properties flood, but hurricanes quickly drop inches or even feet of rain. With the risk of a heavy storm surge, consider taking the time to put up floor barriers. These cost between several hundred and several thousand dollars, depending on the kind you want and how high your barrier has to be. Portable walls work well in high-risk areas, while low-risk areas benefit from expanding bags or powder-filled door dams.
3. Be Prepared for Debris
Debris causes much of the damage related to hurricanes. Prepare to cover your doors and windows with storm panels. These panels, made with aluminum or corrugated steel, bolt down over the doors and windows. Some homes have these on tracks, so they push out of the way when not in use and pull across the window or door when needed. Storm panels on tracks attach quickly so that you can prepare for a storm in seconds. As an added bonus, insurance carriers like to see this kind of preparation, so it can positively impact your claim.
What to Do if an Insurer Denies or Underpays Your Hurricane Ian or Idalia Damage Claim
It is, unfortunately, common for home and vehicle insurance companies to resist paying claimants for hurricane-related damages. Obtaining coverage for natural disasters can be an uphill battle for claimants in Florida. You may face obstacles such as an insurance claims adjuster undervaluing your catastrophic losses, failing to adequately investigate your claim, denying a valid claim, or even taking action against you for alleged insurance fraud. These severe issues could prevent you from obtaining the compensation you need to move forward. Act to protect yourself in these situations.
Reread Your Policy
You may think an insurance company is mistreating you when it is following the terms of your contract. Reread your policy to clarify what your insurance company has guaranteed to cover after a hurricane.
Carefully Document Your Damages
Take photographs, hire an investigator, and collect evidence of all property damages after a hurricane. Carefully keeping track of your property damages can help you prove your case to an insurance provider.
Contact a Hurricane Claim Attorney
Call Williams Law, P.A. for assistance immediately if an insurance company does not appear to deal with your claim fairly. A hurricane damage attorney can help you go up against insurers for a better settlement.
File an Appeal
With help from your attorney, you can file an appeal on the insurance company’s decision or payout delay. The request can go to the insurance company and the courts if the insurer refuses to resolve the issue.
Your insurance company has no final say regarding a hurricane damage claim. You have the power to file an appeal and have the courts in Tampa review your case for evidence of insurance bad faith. Misrepresentation of facts, deceit, fraud, incomplete investigations, and unreasonable delays are typical examples of bad faith. Contact a hurricane claim attorney in Tampa immediately if an insurance company has denied or undervalued your property claim in Tampa.
How Can a Hurricane Claim Attorney Help?
A Florida hurricane claim attorney from Williams Law, P.A. could handle the entire legal process on your behalf. While you and your family focus on picking up the pieces after a disastrous hurricane, our lawyers can manage the legal side of your case. We can collect evidence, take photographs, help you prove your claim, and communicate with insurance companies on your behalf. Our hurricane claim attorneys will fight for total compensation for your severe losses while you focus on matters closer to home.
Our lawyers can pick your insurance policy apart to fully understand what your provider owes you after a hurricane if anything. Then, we can handle claim negotiations with your insurance provider with our knowledge about your policy. We can recognize the common tactics insurance companies often use to get out of paying what they owe claimants. We will combat these tactics with strategies of our own to force the insurance company to treat your claim fairly. In most cases, having legal representation is enough to get an insurer to treat your claim in good faith.
If you are concerned about how much a Florida hurricane insurance claims attorney will cost, come to Williams Law, P.A. for peace of mind. We take cases on a contingency fee basis, so you will not pay our fees out of pocket if you cannot afford them. Instead, we will only charge you if and when we secure benefits for your property damages.
Has Your Home Insurance Company Denied or Undervalued Your Property Damage Claim in Florida?
If your insurance company is dragging its feet regarding your property damage claim, you should speak with an experienced insurance claim lawyer as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Florida law office at 800.451.6786 to schedule your free consultation. We help Florida residents like you fight the big insurance companies who fail to abide by their policies. Remember, we work on a contingent basis, meaning you don't pay us anything until we win your case.
