Harsher policy terms mean damages might not be covered Honored to have been asked to contribute to this article. Jean Eaglesham is a topnotch reporter and very knowledgeable at all levels of the insurance industry. I suggest you follow her on the WSJ. https://www.wsj.com/finance/homeowners-hit-by-helene-are-in-for-an-insurance-claim-shock-60ae5519?st=fpHroy&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
Q. We moved into our new house and within a few weeks, the sewer backed up into the shower and leaked out of the shower pan all over the downstairs area (very stinky!). Everyone agrees this is considered a “Category 3” leak. Remediation company came and took out the tile, flooring, a lot of drywall and…
Q. In my case, the insurance adjuster added $10,300.00 to my Irma hurricane claim to cover Overhead & Profit. This amount and the ACV were paid to me by Frontline upfront under my Replacement Value hurricane policy. The recoverable depreciation was held back until the work was completed. I required six trades to complete the work…roofer,…
This is a frequent question we get after a policyholder has tried to handle their own claim and learns the settlement amount will not return their property to its prior condition. Q. Does a public adjuster get paid on the full amount of the claim or just the disputed amount? A. If a prior payment was made before the…
A policyholder wrote in and recently asked: Q. I’m hoping you can help me with an answer to a quick question. I hired a public adjuster to do an insurance appraisal because the insurance company has been jerking me around. The public adjuster will not share the dollar amount of his appraisal with me. Is that…
When a homeowner files an insurance claim, the last thing they expect is having to include their mortgage holder on the check. But this is usually the case and cause settlement delays and confusion depending on how the mortgage holder processes the settlement. The following is a related insurance claim question we answered submitted by…
Q. I serve on a COA Board and we recently had a fire. Our property manager is telling us the contractor will handle everything, while some of us want to talk to a public adjuster. What is your perspective? A. By law in Florida, your contractor cannot act as the adjuster. He cannot negotiate on the behalf…
As Hurricane Michael damage recovery moves into the new year, we continue get deluged with property insurance claim questions from frustrated policyholders. Right now, we seem to be at the stage where policyholders have received settlement offers they feel are too low to fix their damage or where property owners feel their insurance company is…
If your Florida home was severely damaged by Hurricane Michael to the extent that it is uninhabitable to live in, most insurance policies provide a coverage called “Additional Living Expense” or “A.L.E.” if it is a covered loss. Under the Additional Living Expense coverage, you and your family may be entitled to rent another home…
The following is an insurance claim question we answered for a policyholder through the United Policyholders Ask an Expert Forum. Q. We are survivors of Hurricane Maria. Our property sustained severe damages from the wind and rain. The insurance company´s adjuster reports damages amounting to $36,000. But they are only offering $10,000 arguing that we failed to…