An Orlando area client who filed what they thought was a simple property insurance claim for water damage to their home found them forced out of their home since September of last year due to mistakes made by the “preferred vendors” of their insurance company and the insurance company’s refusal to take responsibility for the situation.  Tutwiler Public Insurance Adjuster Brad Barrett was eventually brought into the situation late and has been trying to bring the situation to what is called Appraisal, where an Umpire can hopefully rule in the client’s favor.

The client’s story was recently featured on Fox35 as a way of educating viewers on getting professional help with their damage claims. Insurance claims can become complex and time consuming which is where an adjuster that works for you can provide time savings and expertise to negotiate a fair settlement.

The lessons to learn about insurance claims are:

1. Do not lose control of your claim. You don’t have to use the insurance company’s vendors even though they may want you to. In most cases those vendors are giving deep discounts to the insurance company (so they can save on paying repair costs) but may not be able to properly restore the property with the remaining funds.  Get estimates from your own contractors who will work for you.

2. When a simple insurance claim seems to go wrong or you claim is denied, consult with an attorney, public adjuster or even your insurance agent to make sure you are being treated fairly and there aren’t other alternatives. Make sure to get everything in writing. Don’t wait!

If you have questions regarding any property insurance claim related issues please call 800.321.4488 or contact us to submit a question to one of our public adjuster or insurance claim experts.