Many policyholders impacted by Hurricane Sally will be dealing with flood related issues for the first time. For those who have flood insurance, we encourage you to review and pay close attention to your flood policy’s terms and conditions. The policies issued by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) are unique because they fall under a Federal Government program with its own rules and regulations. Keep in mind that many private insurance companies resell and administer the NFIP policies.  So, make sure you confirm if your flood policy falls under this program.

Insurance payments to policyholders with flood and wind damage from Hurricane Sally will depend on the policies they purchased, the language in each policy and the laws of each state where the damage occurred. The media is reporting widespread inland flooding, and there are reports that many property owners whose property was damaged by flood may not have purchased flood insurance.  So, what should you do if you do not have coverage from either the government run flood program NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) or flood coverage under some other type of special manuscript policy?

The slow-moving Hurricane Sally has caused a combination of wind, water, roof and flood damage that will surely complicate the insurance claims process. As homeowners are allowed to return and begin the clean-up and recovery process, many residential and commercial policyholders will submit an insurance claim for storm damage to their property. The Public Adjusters at Tutwiler & Associates urge policyholders to take the proper steps to stay safe, protect their property insurance claim and avoid settlement problems with the following tips.
 
1. Notify your insurance carrier of your damage as soon as possible to expedite your claim. Do not go back into your home or mitigate damage until you know it’s safe to do so. If returning to your home after a power outage, do not turn on the power right away, especially if your home has been flooded. Have an electrician check the dwelling first to ensure it is safe.

In 2011, investigative reporter, Ms. Paige St. John of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune won a Pulitzer Prize for her investigative reporting that produced multiple news articles examining Florida’s murky property insurance system vital to Florida’s property owners.  Ms. St. John provided helpful data for consumers to evaluate their insurance company’s (and the industry) reliability, sustainability, and ultimately uncovered how State regulators and insurance company lobbyists oftentimes put the best interests of Florida’s insurance consumers at risk, while at the same time “big insurance” continues to roll the dice and gamble to cash in.  This is a recurring theme that takes place at the same time each year as politicians report to Tallahassee, FL to fulfill their promises while seemingly ignoring their obligations.

This year, the mayhem began on January 7, 2020 when Florida’s Senate Banking and Insurance Committee introduced legislation via House Bill (HB 1137) that is “all about consumer protection.”  The proposed language written in the Bill is being championed by Florida CFO, Mr. Jimmy Patronis who is a native Floridian born and raised in Panama City where Hurricane Michael roared ashore in October 2018.

Not surprisingly, CFO Jimmy Patronis’s statement to the press has caused a lot of interest especially from the media, some of whom were in attendance when his comments were made. Following both print and internet articles of the CFO’s opinion, I have gotten a number of calls from various media folks across the state asking me to respond. As I explained to one reporter, I do not know where the CFO got his facts to support this pronouncement. But given the gravity of his words, I think he should have enlightened folks with some credible facts and figures. The comments I have read and heard is that the press and the public is not buying what he had to say including the reporters I spoke with who share my confusion about where the data (or anecdotal evidence) is coming from.

We were happy to contribute to the 1 year anniversary of Hurricane Michael with information on appraisal as policyholders continue to try and settle their property claims. Thank you Panama City News Herald for running this article: How the appraisal process may help you settle your Hurricane Michael damage claims

Our hearts and prayers go out to all those impacted by Hurricane Dorian. Preliminary reports indicate 13,000 structures destroyed and $25 billion in damage, not to mention the catastrophic flooding. As I’ve listened to all the anxious questions from callers concerned about Dorian and conferred with our Florida Public Adjuster professionals, one common theme prevailed.

Historically, Labor Day storms have not been kind to Florida and Hurricane Dorian has proven to be no exception.  Although Dorian’s final trajectory and impact on Florida remains uncertain, many State agencies, aerospace companies, businesses and thousands of residents have spent millions of dollars bracing for Dorian and its potential for an unprecedented impact. Our public adjuster staff is not sure if we will be heading into a Cat 5 disaster area to help with insurance claims or fielding calls from minor damage.   

No doubt about it, Hurricane Dorian is coming to Florida. We just don’t quite know where yet as the path continues to evolve. Currently, our firm is fielding many calls from prior clients and many others who are actively seeking professional claims representation in the event Hurricane Dorian causes damage to their property.  As such, our expert adjusters are working tirelessly to prepare communities and clients for the inevitable.  Before it’s too late, we encourage everyone to contact their Insurance Agent to obtain copies of their policies and ask the right questions so that they understand their Coverages, Policy Limits, Exclusions, Deductibles, etc.

Our adjusters continue to battle for fair claim settlements for Hurricane Michael policyholders. It takes patience and persistence. Note todays article: 10 Months after Michael Florida Still Doesn’t Know Wy So May Insurance Claims Are Open . If the state wants some insight into why these claims remain outstanding, they only need to speak with our public adjusters and the law firms in Florida who are fighting these claims on a day to day basis. If you still have an outstanding claim or are unhappy with your settlement, give us a call. You may have more options that you think.