The following is an insurance claim question we answered for a policyholder through the United Policyholders Ask an Expert Forum. Q. I live in St Thomas. My house suffered substantial damage from Irma and Maria. It is a two level house with a 3rd level apartment. The upper level is missing the roof and the bottom…
If you are in the market for a new roof because of Hurricane Irma, you may want to consider a metal roof. From my observation as a public adjuster handling a wide variety of insurance claims, metal roofs are becoming more popular all over the country. I’d like to share this article about hurricane resistant metal…
The effects of Hurricane Irma’s wind and rain damage are still apparent throughout Florida and the Caribbean. Roofing crews and blue tarps are ubiquitous wherever you travel. While the blue roofs are obvious, what may not be so obvious are damages that may have resulted to electrical and mechanical systems in your home or building…
The following is an insurance claim question we answered for a policyholder through the United Policyholders Ask an Expert Forum. Q. I made several requests for different reimbursements after a fire for things like mileage, replacement of computer equipment, and laundry expenses. I made the request two months ago and provided all necessary documentation. This is taking…
Many of the calls we get from policyholders lately, regarding their Hurricane Irma insurance claim goes a little like this: “Roof damage caused bedroom flood, water running down the wall, water came in the front door, sheet rock and crown molding are ruined, now mold growing causing health concern.” Most homeowners will have a limit…
Policyholders may be surprised to find that their flood claim for foundation damage is denied because the NFIP says the damage is caused by earth movement or settlement; even though the earth movement was caused by flood waters! Before I discuss this, let me remind the reader that each loss is fact specific to each…
Policyholders who experienced any type of water intrusion from Hurricane Irma may experience mold infiltration. When claims are delayed and repairs put on hold, it can become a real problem because mold can grow unseen for months and create a serious health hazard. Many of those who contact our firm report mold issues. To get…
Property owners who were impacted by Hurricane Irma and filed a property insurance claim are starting to receive settlement offers from their insurance company. Some are shocked at the settlement offer they receive. Sometimes our firm will be retained by a homeowner only to receive a call several weeks later to say the insurance company adjuster…
A lot of properties that experienced Hurricane Irma losses will have Law & Ordinance issues. Law & Ordinance kicks in when the Florida building code requirements impact what will be required in order to obtain a CO (Certificate of Occupancy) in order to reoccupy the damaged structure. It is a separate coverage in your policy…
If the inquiries coming into our offices are any guide, policyholders are receiving settlement offers for their insurance claims and many are not happy and in some cases shocked at the offer they are receiving. Most often we are told the offer does not remotely cover the cost of repairs based on estimates local contractors…