Property Damage Attorneys

No – Florida’s no-fault insurance laws specifically pertain to injuries, which are paid for by each driver’s personal injury protection (PIP) coverage up to their own policy limits. Every driver in Florida is required to carry at least $10,000 of property damage liability coverage. The driver who is at fault for the accident should pay for the other driver’s repair or vehicle replacement up to that policy limit. Drivers may be personally liable for any expenses beyond what their insurance can cover.

Whether you’re filing a claim after an auto accident, flooding from a pipe leak in your home or hurricane damage, the process is essentially the same. You should contact your insurance company, report the damage and how it occurred and answer their initial questions. The insurance company will want to know how severe the damage is, how the damage occurred and will want some photographic evidence. They may also ask if any witnesses can corroborate your version of events (this is especially important in car accident cases).

The more documentation you can provide, the better. In addition to photographic evidence, it will also help to have a list of damaged belongings and, if possible, receipts or credit card statements showing when they were purchased and how much they cost. This can make receiving fair compensation for damaged or destroyed personal property far easier for policyholders.

There are both legitimate and unfair reasons a claim may be undervalued. You can dispute the valuation with your insurance company yourself and find out if there’s any additional documentation you can provide to bolster your claim, like additional receipts, a repair quote from an independent contractor or additional photographic evidence of your damage. At this time, it may also be in your best interests to contact a property damage attorney or a public adjuster.

Bad faith is a specific situation in which an insurance company is intentionally attempting to deceive you to minimize their expenses in paying your claim. Both bad faith and legitimate mistakes can result in some of the same consequences, including improper denial of a claim, undervaluation or property damage claim delays. It may not be clear whether your insurance company simply made a mistake or is acting in bad faith without working with an attorney to investigate your unique situation.

It’s important to recognize claim denials are not always indicative of bad faith on the part of the insurance company. Insurance policies are full of excluded perils and loopholes they may be able to use to legally avoid paying for damages your home sustained due to a disaster of some kind. While these may seem devious to you, the homeowner who now has to pay out of pocket for repairs, they aren’t illegal or, technically speaking, bad faith.

If you believe your claim is being unfairly denied or undervalued, it may be worth your time to speak with a public adjuster or property damage attorney. They can review your policy, your evidence and your communications with the insurance company to determine if you have any recourse.