Well, maybe not new, but things are changing and we have seen this coming for some time. In our last blog Tampa Bay Residents Wait on FEMA we noted that staff from FEMA were in the area to inspect the flooding that resulted from three weeks of intense rain. Attempting not to jinx the process, I held…
Two years ago, on October 29, 2012 Super Storm Sandy came ashore just south of New York City causing significant flood damage to many buildings in the Financial District and in Battery Park City, New York. Our firm was on the ground within 3 days post-storm, helping people prepare to file their Sandy insurance claims.…
A recent opinion of Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeals involving a Hurricane Wilma homeowner’s claim has a rather startling decision, and not a good one for the policyholder side. The case Hunt v. State Farm highlights the need for policyholders to pay close attention to their claim, their insurance policy language and any communication they receive…
Here is an insurance claim question that we recently answered as a contributing member of insurance claim experts for United Policyholders who advocates for property owners. Q. I have been offered a job in Wilmington, NC and would like to live in a nearby beach community such as Surf City, NC. Other than USAA, What is the best…
When there is a storm event such as the flooding in the Pensacola, Destin, Gulf Breeze and the Ft. Walton Beach areas we always get questions about how depreciation works. As public adjusters, we deal with this type of situation all the time when we are managing a policyholder’s claim. Deprecation is figured in a number of ways depending…
Property owners in the Pensacola, Destin, Gulf Breeze and the Ft. Walton Beach areas 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; even though the earth movement was caused by flood waters! Before I discuss this, let me remind any…
On April 30, 2014, Governor Rick Scott signed Executive Order 14-144, declaring a state of emergency for the following Florida counties: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Washington, Bay, Jackson, Calhoun, Gulf, Liberty, Franklin, Gadsden, Leon, Wakulla, Jefferson, Madison, Taylor, Hamilton, Suwannee, Lafayette, Dixie, Columbia, Gilchrist, Levy, and Alachua. A copy of the executive order…
Since October of 2013 our office has been cranking out claim packages for all of our clients so they fully comply with the terms and conditions of their flood policies. One of those tasks is the filing of the Proof of Loss, which to the layman can be as complex as building a house with…
For any of our readers who have or are contemplating remodeling their basement, here is an excellent article: The insurance risks of a basement man cave on the flood insurance gaps that exist if you are impacted by a flood event. Many of our Superstorm Sandy clients were shocked at how little coverage they had. Enjoy your…
The House finally came to its senses last week and amended the 2012 Biggert-Waters act by scaling back flood insurance rate increases. This is not only good news for longtime homeowners in coastal areas but also will help revive the real estate market which made some homes too expensive due to substantial flood rate increases.…