Homeowners purchase insurance for the peace of mind they receive from the knowledge that damages to their largest asset will be covered. When homeowners have to fight their insurance company because the insurance company fails to live up to its obligation to pay legitimate claims, Williams Law, P.A., provides experienced, aggressive representation to hold them accountable.
From offices in Tampa, Brandon and New Port Richey, our insurance claim attorneys focus almost solely on clients who have had legitimate claims rejected, underpaid or otherwise unfairly dealt with by insurance carriers. We are experienced in this area of law. Firm founder K.C. Williams began his practice in commercial and homeowner insurance claims more than 20 years ago.
Did your insurance company refuse to pay for water, wind, fire or other storm-related damage to your home? If so, our Florida insurance claim attorneys can help. Call for a free consultation at (800) 451-6786.
Why Clients Choose Williams Law, P.A.
- Our homeowner insurance claims lawyers have been representing clients in Tampa and throughout South Florida since 1995.
- We have established ourselves as one of the top insurance law firms in Tampa, with unparalleled customer service and outstanding results.
- You will receive the undivided attention of your lawyer, along with personalized legal services, to achieve the best possible outcome for your case.
- We operate on a contingency fee basis. This means you won’t pay our lawyers unless you achieve a financial recovery for your homeowner insurance claim.
Experienced Representation For Property Insurance Claims
Depending on the terms of your insurance policy, a wide range of damages to your property may be covered. We have dealt with many types of homeowner insurance and condominium insurance claims, including:
- Roof damage
- Water damage
- Fire and smoke damage claims
- Hurricane and wind damage
- Storm damage
- Construction defects
- Vandalism and theft
- Other damage and loss
When you contact your insurance company about a claim for damages to your home, your insurance company may pay your claim fairly. In many situations, however, insurance carriers can deny claims, inadequately investigate damages, underpay benefits or use other strategies to avoid paying a perfectly valid claim. When they do, we can help.
What Is Homeowners Insurance Bad Faith?
In Florida and throughout the U.S., insurance companies must obey specific laws that are designed to protect the insured. Title XXXVII of the 2021 Florida Statutes is the state’s Insurance Code. This Code establishes certain rules and ethics that insurance companies must abide by when processing claims.
If an insurance company violates a law or fails to settle a claim in good faith when it should have based on the circumstances, it can be held civilly responsible. Bad faith means that a homeowners insurance company did not act fairly and honestly toward the insured. When bad faith causes harm or damage to a claimant, the victim can file a bad faith lawsuit in pursuit of financial compensation for his or her related losses.
What Does Insurance Bad Faith Look Like?
There are many valid reasons for an insurance company to deny a homeowner insurance claim. The type of storm or disaster that damaged your home might not be a covered event under your policy. You might have stopped making payments in the months leading up to your claim, causing a lapse in coverage. Yet there are even more invalid reasons that an insurance company might deny your claim or withhold a payout. An insurance company will look for ways to protect its investors’ money. This includes the following bad faith tactics:
- Denying your claim even though it should be covered by the policy.
- Denying the claim without including a written explanation.
- Alleging that your property damage was caused by something other than what you are claiming.
- Misrepresenting what the policy covered when you purchased it.
- Misinterpreting the language of the policy to use it to deny your claim.
- Failing to offer a fair and reasonable settlement.
- Offering less than the available limit on your homeowners insurance policy.
- Taking too long to investigate your claim or requesting too much information.
- Failing to communicate with you about your claim.
- Delaying the payment of your homeowners insurance claim.
- Threatening you during the claims process.
If you aren’t sure how an insurance company should handle your homeowners insurance claim or whether you are a victim of bad faith, consult with an attorney at Williams Law, P.A. We will listen to your story and review the facts to let you know if your claim has merit. If so, we can help you protect your rights when going up against your homeowners insurance company. We can represent you during an insurance dispute or bad faith lawsuit to demand justice.
How to Handle a Homeowners Insurance Dispute
If you are struggling to get your homeowners insurance company to offer a fair settlement for damage to your property, contact an attorney right away. The Tampa homeowner insurance lawyers at Williams Law, P.A. have been helping clients litigate insurance dispute claims and bad faith lawsuits for over 25 years. We can help you understand your rights and legal options if your homeowners insurance company has denied your claim or refused a fair payout.
First, we will help you understand your policy. We will interpret any legal jargon and look closely at the fine print. If we believe your insurance company is acting in bad faith by failing to uphold the terms of your contract, we can take over communications for you to try to resolve the issue. Our lawyers will demand answers from the insurance company, such as why it denied or devalued your claim. We can request an internal review at the insurance company as well as an external review.
If the insurance company continues to refuse to handle your homeowners insurance claim in good faith, we can represent you during a bad faith insurance lawsuit in Tampa. This is a civil claim against the insurance company in pursuit of financial damages for its part in causing you harm. We can help you file the correct forms with the Hillsborough County Clerk of Courts by the deadline and go up against your insurer before a judge and jury. Although most insurance disputes do not make it to trial, we are skilled litigators who are prepared to go to court on your behalf, if necessary.
What Damages Are Available in an Insurance Bad Faith Claim?
If your home or property has been damaged, you may be feeling overwhelmed and eager to collect a settlement from your homeowner insurance company. However, it is paramount to protect your rights during the claims process. Even if you have never missed an insurance premium, you may run into problems getting fair and full benefits for a claim. If there is proof that your insurance company handled your claim in bad faith, you could be entitled to financial compensation for the following damages:
- Repairs you paid for out of pocket after the insurance company denied your claim or delayed your payout.
- Any lost wages that accrued because you had to stay home due to your property losses or dealing with your claim.
- The emotional distress and inconvenience that you suffered because of the dishonest or unfair way in which the insurance company handled your claim.
- The costs associated with having to file a bad faith lawsuit, such as attorney’s fees and court costs.
- Punitive damages, which are awarded in some cases where an insurance company has acted with gross negligence or intent to harm the plaintiff.
Keep in mind that these damages may come in addition to a payout for your original homeowners insurance claim, which can include coverage for repairs to your home and travel costs while your property is under construction. They are meant to make up for the specific losses that you suffered because of insurance bad faith practices. Discuss the value of your homeowner insurance bad claim lawsuit with a Tampa attorney today for more information.
Has Your Home Insurance Company Denied Or Undervalued Your Property Damage Claim In Florida?
If your insurance company is dragging their 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 directly at 800.451.6786 to schedule your free consultation. We help Florida residents just like you fight the big insurance companies who fail to abide by their own policies. Remember, we work on a contingent basis, meaning you don't pay us anything until we win your case.
