Over the years the insurance industry has steadily tightened its grip on policyholders. What started with exclusions for issues like mold after Hurricane Andrew has now expanded into broad and restrictive measures. Insurers impose stringent limits on claims related to roof age, windows, and doors and employ scientific experts to date water damage. These tactics, combined with anti-concurrent causation clauses, high deductibles, and wind-driven rain endorsements, have made filing claims more complex and often lead to denied coverage. This is also compounded by increasingly complex pre-existing damage exclusions.

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Florida lawmakers are coming together for a special session to focus on finding solutions to the property insurance crisis in the state. Over the last year, residents have struggled with increasing rates and availability issues when it comes to property insurance. "They work very hard and they expect their insurance companies to honor the contract when and if they have a disaster," said Tutwiler. Follow Link

Public Adjuster Rick Tutwiler said he has been working nearly 200 Hurricane Ian claims and hopes lawmakers make some changes to improve Florida's property insurance crisis during this week's special session. "At the end of the day, it should be about the policyholder. What is in their best interest?" he said. "They're the key not the insurance companies."   Follow Link

It’s been a year since Hurricane Michael devastated parts of the Florida Panhandle, causing damage to homes and businesses alike. Many residents have had to leave their homes while awaiting repairs, and, to add to their frustration, are wrangling with their insurance companies to get the funds they need to rebuild and move on with their lives. If you are one of those property owners still waiting for the funds to settle your claim, have been denied your claim or feel you have not gotten a fair recovery, you likely know exactly how it feels to be displaced, frustrated, even angry.

There may be an option however

CHARLESTON — A public insurance adjuster advises homeowners who have experienced water damage in the recent flooding in West Virginia to report “water loss” instead of using the term “flood.” Early reports estimate more than $45 million of damage in southern West Virginia from what is being called a 100-year flood event. More than 1,200 homes have been damaged, and it may take another few weeks before the extent of the damage is fully known. Dick Tutwiler, founder of Tutwiler & Associates Public Adjusters, has worked more than 30 years in insurance adjusting. His firm is headquartered out of Tampa, Florida. But as a Marshall University alumnus, he feels for the West Virginia community.

Dick Tutwiler is featured in a Claims Management Guide to Natural Disasters. The article starts on page 44. Mr. Tutwiler is mistakenly referenced as an attorney by the reporter.

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Tutwiler & Associate's President, Dick Tutwiler shares his views, tips and lessons learned on the upcoming 2013 Hurricane Season. 

Here is an excellent report brought to you from United Policyholders and Consumer Federation of America on what consumers should look out for when reviewing their property insurance policies based on observations from Superstorm Sandy. Excellent resource links are also included.

Here's a great NY Times article by Money reporter Ron Leiber about some of the issues policyholders face after an insurance loss like Superstorm Sandy.

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(Reuters) - Pat Groover called her insurance company on Tuesday morning, the day after a massive tree gave in to storm Sandy's winds, ripped the front off a neighbor's house and pulled siding and gutters off of Groover's home. The path of destruction didn't stop - the tree came to rest on Groover's car in her Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey, driveway.The tree is still there. Groover is afraid to have it removed until she hears from her insurer, and that hasn't happened yet. Follow Link

Even tropical storms leave their mark. South Florida was spared a hurricane, but the fringes of Isaac soaked the area and left behind leaky roofs, flooded homes and, in a few unusual cases, lightning damage. For those affected homeowners the next step is navigating an insurance claims process that involves plenty of patience and paperwork. Follow Link

FORCE-PLACED insurance isn’t high up on most people’s list of mortgage worries, not when so many people are in danger of losing their homes. But it’s been high up on mine ever since my wife and I had to battle our mortgage provider to remove flood insurance it had bought for us — and we didn’t need — for a condominium we owned in Florida. Follow Link

Florida insurance claims adjuster Dick Tutwiler contributed to this informative article from Bankrate.com regarding hurricane deductible tips. Follow Link

Tropical Storm Debby caused widespread wind, water and flood damage along the west coast and northern Florida (including Tampa and St. Petersburg) and will require that many residential and commercial policyholders submit an insurance claim. The public adjusters at Tutwiler & Associates urge policyholders to take the proper steps to protect their claim and avoid settlement problems. 

The court's ruling found that home or building owners can now get special "diminution of value" payments when their buildings are damaged. That means insurers now must not only pay for repairs when a home or business is damaged, but they could also have to pay for the diminished value of that property.

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