As a homeowner, it is necessary to protect yourself against financial difficulties you might get into if your house gets damaged in a hurricane. Consider a scenario where you have purchased a house in Fort Lauderdale. Being a city in Florida, it is a region prone to experiencing natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, and strong winds. Houses built in these areas are often susceptible to damage caused by hurricanes, strong winds, and weathering. Hence, to protect yourself from the financial expenses you will incur for repairing your home, you will need to purchase a suitable home insurance policy.
Nevertheless, you need to understand the legal aspect of such a policy and its claim process. When you contact a hurricane damage attorney in Fort Lauderdale, he will tell you that the claims process can be quite arduous, especially without the support of a good lawyer. Some of the legal aspects of a hurricane damage claim are as follows:
1. Protect your property after damage to make it easier to make a claim
The first step that you should take once the hurricane is over and matters have settled down to a certain extent is to cover the damaged areas to prevent further damage. If you are thinking, when do you need to hire a hurricane damage lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, this would be the best time to get in touch with a lawyer specializing in a hurricane damage claim. He will guide you regarding how you can ensure that your claims are adequately represented. Preventing further damage to the property is necessary so that the insurance company cannot claim that demand for undue repair work is being made. Insurance companies often make this claim to underpay and reduce the claim amount. Hence, it is necessary to protect the property after the damage to make it easier to process the claim.
2. Provide documents of everything, including the damage the property has suffered
You must take pictures of all the damage that your house has suffered because of the hurricane. The pictures will act as documents. It is necessary to document all aspects of the damage so that it becomes easier to raise a claim. When you raise a claim, you need to submit all necessary documents to substantiate your claim. Your lawyer will guide you regarding the documentation process and raising of the claim. When you hire an attorney, he will negotiate on your behalf with the insurance company representatives and their lawyers. An important legal aspect that you should consider is that it is essential to discuss your claims only in the presence of your lawyers. This is because the insurance company representatives will uphold the interests of the insurance provider and not the policyholder. Therefore, you need an attorney to uphold your rights and represent you.
3. Evaluating whether you need to move to court
It is essential to discuss with your lawyer whether you need to move to court if your claims are denied, or you are not paid the amount you claim. Insurance companies often produce numerous reasons for underpaying or refusing to pay a claim. Here your lawyer will evaluate your claim and ensure that your claim is valid, and if necessary, proceed to present your case in court. For example, if the insurance company claims that the repairs are unnecessary, only your lawyer can refute this claim. Moreover, such a claim often needs to be presented and proved in court so that you can get the maximum amount as claims. But all of this depends on the merit of your case and ensuring that you paid all the premiums. Your insurance policy should be up to date and merit the maximum insurance claim. Your insurance policy and the policy value will also be a deciding factor in claiming the maximum compensation. All of these will be evaluated by your lawyer. These are the legal aspects that you should know about your home insurance policy, and your lawyer will discuss these with you.
4. Is there anything called hurricane insurance?
There is nothing exactly like hurricane insurance, but you can purchase a home insurance policy that will cover flood damage, wind damage, and other similar damages caused due to wind and rain. However, damage caused by all of these natural forces needs to be evaluated before the insurance company releases the money for repairing your home. Nevertheless, it is essential to understand that there are legal factors involved in this process. When you file a claim, you will have to submit documents and describe the damage your house has suffered. When you draft the document, you should take the help of a hurricane damage lawyer who can help you evaluate and identify the claims you can expect the insurance companies to reimburse. As a homeowner, you might not be able to understand what the covered items are in an insurance claim. If you do not put your claims properly, your entire claims can fall through. Hence, it is necessary to take the help of a lawyer and evaluate the legal aspect before putting down your claims for insurance compensation.
5. Can an insurance company counter your claim?
Another legal aspect of an insurance claim is that the insurance provider can counter your claim. You have to be prepared because the company will try to deny or reduce your claim. They will come up with excuses to show that you are claiming benefits much higher than you require. Here, you will require a lawyer specializing in hurricane damage to help you counter the claim and ensure that your rights are upheld.
The objective behind putting up a claim with the insurance company is to ensure that your rights are upheld. For example, when your house suffers damage due to a hurricane, it can prove to be a problematic scenario both financially and emotionally. Therefore, with the help of the compensation provided by the insurance company and the compensation that you are entitled to, you can reduce the financial burden significantly. Learn more about Louis Law Group, a Florida Hurricane Damage law firm, via this Haiti Open Magazine business profile.
Story by Rad Hika
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