As we continue to answer calls from countless past clients who suffered property damage during Hurricane Sally, initial loss and damage news reports appear conflicting.  According to a September 18, 2020 article published by the Insurance Journal, “Hurricane Sally is not expected to cause a major insurance loss - compared to events such as the ongoing wildfires in California, Oregon, and Washington, or Hurricane Laura.” However, the article explains “Flood Losses Expected to Be ‘Significant’ as the “the storm was more of a flood event.” For those suffering the aftereffects of Hurricane Sally, it’s extremely hard to draw a comparison given each catastrophic event is unique and not one property damage claim or insurance company is the same. Simply put, the facts and circumstances are a case-by-case basis as confirmed by the numerous community associations and past clients we spoke with.    

Specifically, some firm clients are reporting substantial wind damage to their roofs, debris impacts, damage to exterior building envelopes, and water intrusion entering into properties as a result of these openings and breaches. Other clients have experienced massive trees toppling onto their homes causing significant roof, structural, and interior water damage, which compelled them to call and file claims with their insurance companies. 

Sadly, another recurring theme we are hearing from past clients, is that their insurance companies are immediately asking folks if they hired a Public Insurance Adjuster. Certainly, this should not be a critical question for an insurance company intake specialist to ask when its customer calls in to report a property damage claim. The relevancy of the question is questionable at best, especially for customers who have no clue what a Public Insurance Adjuster is.

It begs the question to know if insurance companies are somehow seeking to dissuade their customers from exercising their right to hire a licensed Public Insurance Adjuster who is licensed by the State of Florida to exclusively work on behalf of policyholder consumers to represent their best interests throughout the claims process. Time will tell, but one thing is for certain, insurance companies are not in the business of handing out boat loads of money, which is the very reason why the public adjusting profession exists.  My guess is insurance companies will largely be looking to what caused the damage to occur in order to render a coverage determination to pay or deny the claim.  For example, did the rising ocean (Flood) water come first or was it the Wind?  Read more here, but this year’s long debate will certainly prompt insurance companies to frustrate their customers as they send their hired Engineers to figure out the answer.

Let’s face it, handling any insurance claim is a full-time job, which most people simply do not have time as folks are busy trying to resume normalcy in life after suffering through a catastrophic event such as a Hurricane Sally. 

Before trying to handle a large claim on your own please ask yourself these questions:

1. Did you read your entire Insurance Policy? 
2. Do you understand what is covered in your Flood Insurance Policy?
3. Do you understand how your Hurricane Deductible is applied?
4. Do you fully understand your Policy’s Terms & Conditions, which require certain Duties from you, as the insured Policyholder?
5. Do you understand the implications of your property being impacted by Flood versus damages that are caused by WIND? 
6. Do you know that the Policy requires you to prove your damages to your insurance company? 
7. Do you understand all the Policy requirements and Proof of Loss deadlines that you have to comply with?
8. Do you really know what your claim is really worth?
9. Do you believe your insurance company will offer you a fair claim settlement?
10. What if your claim was improperly denied or underpaid?
11. Do you understand how to expedite the processing of your claim, especially when there are thousands of others trying to do the same thing? 

With over 200 combined years of loss consulting and property insurance claims adjusting experience, the public adjusters from Tutwiler & Associates bring expert credentials in all phases of the property insurance claim adjusting process. From Hurricane Opal in 1995 to Hurricane Michael in 2018, our firm has helped thousands of clients in The Florida Panhandle for nearly 25-years.  If being treated fairly and getting paid quickly are important to you, consider hiring a licensed professional public adjuster who can help remove the stress of dealing with insurance company red tape freeing you to handle more important life issues. Since 1984, our expert adjusters have prepared, presented, and negotiated fair and equitable settlements for our clients saving them time and making sure the claim is submitted with proper documentation.

Tutwiler & Associates have been working hurricane claims since 1984. For your own peace of mind, call our Pensacola insurance adjusters now at 850-783-3319 for a free, no-cost claim evaluation, visit our Hurricane Sally Insurance Claim Public Adjuster page for additional information or contact a public adjuster to submit a question to one of our insurance claim experts.