When and EF2 tornado hit the Cape Coral area in early January and then another windstorm added insult to injury, it was a good indicator of what hurricane force winds will do to a community like this. Here’s some drone video showing the wind damaged landscape. We are still working with some policyholders in the area and the situation down there is surprisingly still not good. Homeowners are starting to get their claim checks from their carrier and suddenly realizing they are not enough to fix their damage. Well over one hundred homes are on a 4-6 week wait for tile roofs. Worse yet, insurance carriers are not paying for roof tarps and I hear the local building department is overwhelmed with permitting and inspections.

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We want to thank public adjuster Mike Stabile for crafting this holiday blog. The joyful sounds of the season can be heard all around, the halls have been meticulously decked, we're searching for the perfect gifts to fill the stockings and pile under our beautiful trees as we prepare to open our homes to love and laughter with our family and friends this holiday season. 

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One group we would like all our professional colleagues to be aware of is United Policyholders, a non-profit organization whose mission is to educate and advocate for property insurance policyholders. Whenever there is a major weather or disaster event, like the recent California wild fires, they are there to answer questions and lend a hand with disaster recovery assistance. We are proud to be a Platinum Sponsor and welcome the opportunity to be part of the expert panel that helps to answer policyholder questions. We urge all of our colleagues to consider helping this organization, so they can do more to educate and protect policyholders. 
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Here is our 3^rd and final installment of questions we are fielding from the flooding in the Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina.  Hopefully we can help others seeking similar answers with flood insurance claims issues.

Q.  How much drywall damage will my flood insurance pay for? 
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Here is our 2^nd installment of questions we are fielding from the flooding in the Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina.  Hopefully we can help others seeking similar answers with flood insurance claims issues.

Q.  My lower cabinets were damaged by the flood waters.  Does my flood insurance pay to match them and pay for my upper cabinets? 

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Whenever there is a severe storm like the flooding in the Columbia and Charleston, South Carolina area our inbox gets inundated with questions from policyholders who are entering the insurance claims world for the first time and are seeking answers on how to recover from their damage. Over the next week we’ll publish some of the more popular questions with hopes that we can help others seeking similar answers. 

Q.  What does the NFIP flood policy require me to do after I report my claim.
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Those who experienced any type of water intrusion from the recent Tampa Bay rain and flooding may experience mold infiltration. When claims are delayed and repairs put on hold it can become a real problem as mold can grow unseen for months and create a serious health hazard. In the past, mold damage claims were covered under most property insurance when it resulted from a covered peril, such as a sudden plumbing leak, fire control, storm or other cause covered by your property insurance policy. However, some insurance carriers have been removing or scaling back the coverage from their policy forms regardless if it results from a covered peril. In some instances, the insurance companies offer a limited coverage for mold and fungus for an additional premium. 
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Many people might be surprised that having an adjuster look at your claim is only the beginning of the insurance claim process. Remember, the field adjuster that inspects your property may not be an employee of the insurance company. They are typically independent adjusters on contract and typically are paid a set fee or percentage for each claim they handle. This is especially true during disaster situations when there are so many claims to adjust. You should ask them what firm they are with when they come to inspect your property and note how thorough they are recording your damage and if they are “listening” to you. 
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As Tampa area businesses and homeowners deal with the serious flood and water damage, they will need the help of a water restoration firm to clean-up and dry out their property. Once local authorities give the all clear and it’s safe to return, mitigation efforts should be started immediately to avoid further damage or mold issues. If insured for the loss, you will find that most insurance policies require that you take reasonable and necessary measures to protect and preserve your property from further damage. This can be a difficult and challenging undertaking that requires decisions often involving a great deal of money at a time when your insurance adjuster may not have seen your loss or given the OK to start the dry-out or restoration process. Our recommendation is to hire the restoration company to do the drying and clean-up work only. You can then get quotes for reconstruction once things are sorted out with your insurance company. If possible, have the restoration company give you the scope of work and pricing in writing and then give it to the insurance adjuster or send it the insurance company for their approval. If possible, schedule a meeting at the site with all parties present. If this is not practical, make sure you take pictures of the damage and document all expenses for your insurance company. If you don’t document your damages, the insurance adjuster may not include it in the damage assessment. 
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For those who do have flood insurance, we encourage you to review and pay close attention to your flood policy’s terms and conditions. The policies issued by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) are unique because they fall under a Federal Government program with its own rules and regulations. As an example, the NFIP policy requires you to file a proof-of-loss within 60 days of the flood event. In layman terms, you must have figured out your loss and arrived at a sum certain amount to put on a document called a “proof of loss” and have it submitted to the appropriate person handling your claim. Unless this time period (60 Days) is waived by an authorized official of FEMA/NFIP (as was the case with Superstorm Sandy) the claim may be denied in total for failure to comply with the policy terms and conditions. 

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