Property Damage Lawyers Specializing in Wind Damage
Most Floridians are familiar with the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale; it’s what allows for those easy hurricane strength categorizations. It’s no surprise wind speed became the primary way to easily differentiate hurricane intensity. Although rain, storm surge, lightning and other perils can also lead to property damage during a hurricane, wind is by far the biggest driver of property damage losses.
Even a comparatively “weak” Category 1 hurricane can bring winds of up to 95 miles per hour, which can uproot trees, knock over power lines and hurl debris through windows. Many roofing materials also can’t withstand Category 1 hurricane winds.
By the time you get to Category 5 hurricanes, with wind speeds over 157 miles per hour, there are few building materials that can weather the onslaught unscathed. In the aftermath of a hurricane, wind damage is often the leading property damage claim for Florida home and business owners.
Will My Home Insurance Cover Wind Damage From a Hurricane?
Technically yes, Florida homeowners insurance should cover wind damage suffered by your property. However, there can be many complicating factors that lead to claim denials, delays or undervaluation.
Homeowners who want to make a full recovery often need to stand up for themselves during claim negotiations. If you feel like the insurance company is treating your wind damage claim unfairly, consider speaking with a Florida property damage attorney familiar with hurricane wind damage.
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Why Do Insurance Companies Deny Wind Damage Claims?
Excluded perils – Your policy may have excluded perils that the insurance company will attempt to use to deny your claim or avoid paying for certain types of damage. A common example is water damage that was a direct result of wind damage. This type of water damage is not covered by flood insurance, but that doesn’t always stop the insurance company from attempting to deny these claims.
Poor maintenance or depreciation – Insurance companies can sometimes get out of honoring home insurance claims by essentially blaming the damage on the policyholder. For example, they may suggest the roof wind damage your home suffered was due to disrepair or age. This could also allow them to avoid honoring claims for other types of damage, like water or mold damage, that directly resulted from the wind damage.
Poor claims adjuster training or performance – Insurance company employees are not infallible. They can make mistakes, especially when they’re overworked in the aftermath of a hurricane. Insurance company claim departments can become overwhelmed when nearly every policyholder in a community is filing a claim at the same time. They may even bring in poorly trained adjusters to handle the overflow, increasing the probability mistakes will occur.
You Don’t Have to Accept the Insurance Company’s Initial Decision
If your wind damage claim was undervalued, denied or is being delayed, it may be in your best interest to work with a property damage lawyer or public adjuster. We have helped thousands of Florida property owners with wind damage claim negotiations in the wake of hurricanes. Our property damage lawyers can work with public adjusters, repair specialists and other experts in the field of property damage to make a compelling case that your wind damage claim should be honored in full.
Let our team fight for the full property damage recovery you deserve. Call us at 800-586-5555 for a free case evaluation.
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