Types of Claims we can help you with
FIRE DAMAGE CLAIMS
Fire can cause significant damage to a home or business in a short period of time, rendering the property unlivable. Worst yet, damages from smoke are sometimes hard to find and nearly impossible to clean. Insurance companies are quick to question accidental fires, prolong the claims investigation process, undervalue the claim and are notorious for excluding smoke damage from an otherwise legitimate claim. If you have experienced fire and/or smoke damage, contact us today for a free confidential consultation
ROOF CLAIMS
The weather here in Florida takes its toll on roofs for both residential and commercial properties. Exposure to the outside elements, such as sun, wind, rain and hail, oftentimes causes damage to the exterior roofs; which in turn, can result in damage to the interior of the property. Most insurance companies heavily scrutinize roof claims, and their policy language attempts to exclude the most common types of roof claims. Worst yet, some insurance companies employ a team of adjusters and engineers from the onset of a claim, in an effort to try to deny legitimate claims. Don’t let this happen to you. We are here to help.
MOLD CLAIMS
Mold is a fungus that occurs when a home sustains water damage from a plumbing leak, storm or fire. Mold can produce mycotoxins that can cause serious health issues. Some studies claim that exposure to mycotoxins can lead to neurological problems and in some cases death. Typical symptoms caused by mold exposure include itchy and watery eyes, a chronic cough, headaches or migraines, difficulty breathing, rashes, tiredness, sinus problems, nasal blockage, and frequent sneezing. In addition to the health hazards, mold can cause significant damage to property as well. In order to properly address mold contamination, typically the property must be thoroughly cleaned and in some cases, complete replacement of materials may be necessary. Mold remediation efforts to protect property and prevent further contamination can be very costly. For these reasons, insurance companies have been attempting to limit coverage for mold in their policies.
HURRICANE/STORM CLAIMS
Hurricanes, tropical storms and windstorms can have a devastating effect on buildings and property. Florida has a long history filled with storms causing significant damage. Insurance companies have taken extra steps in their policies to protect themselves in the event a hurricane or windstorm makes landfall. With increased delays in processing time of claims and unreasonable requests made on the policyholders, having an experienced insurance lawyer on your side when disaster strikes is a must.
PLUMBING CLAIMS
Plumbing claims are the most common insurance claim filed in Florida. Plumbing claims include shower pan leaks, broken pipes both within the walls and under the home, leaky pipes in the kitchen and bathrooms, A/C leaks and back-ups. Too often, policyholders do not realize that these losses are covered under their policy. It is important for the policyholder to undertake proper steps to stop the damage from getting worse when the source of the claim first occurs. Insurance companies typically look for any angle to deny a claim. Permitting the damage to persist for an extended period of time is grounds for an otherwise legitimate claim to be denied.
VANDALISM CLAIMS
Vandalism is legally defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary as “willful or malicious destruction or defacement of public or private property.” Florida’s criminal code, Section 806.13, refers to vandalism as criminal mischief. The penalties for criminal mischief increase based upon the amount of property damage caused by the vandal. The most common type of vandalism occurs when tenants are evicted from rental property. When landlords proceed forward and enforce their right to evict their tenants, an angry former tenant may retaliate against the landlord. With no regard or respect for the landlord and their property, the tenant may intentionally inflict damage to the rental property. Under some insurance policies, a property owner may have coverage for vandalism. But because vandalism is also a criminal act under Florida law, filing a vandalism insurance claim can be tricky. It is important that the proper steps and precautions are taken to both document and record the vandalism.