Since Hurricane Idalia impacted Florida’s west coast, our public adjusters have been besieged with questions about flood claims. I also noticed from initial state claims data that many claims are being closed without payment. This may be due to policyholders not understanding what is covered under their homeowner's policy vs. their flood policy, if they have one. We are receiving concerning feedback from policyholders who are feeling frustrated in the initial stages of the claims process, especially from the moment they report their first notice of loss.  

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Policyholders who were impacted by Hurricane Idalia flooding will soon be faced with fully complying with the terms and conditions of their flood policies.  One of those tasks is the filing a Proof of Loss (POL), which to the layman can be as complex as building a house with no construction experience.  Not surprisingly, our Florida public adjusters are already fielding calls with questions from confused policyholders.
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Based on current forecasts, it appears Hurricane Idalia will create significant flooding from Sarasota to St. Petersburg and especially into Tampa Bay the likes that this Florida public adjuster has not seen. Storm surge coinciding with a full moon and high tides may produce some surprises and property owners should prepare for the worst. In addition, embedded tornadoes and significant wind gusts are always in the mix. The time to prepare is now. And should you experience damage, you want to do everything you can to protect your property insurance claim. Experiencing a flood in your home or business can be distressing, and the aftermath can often be overwhelming. One of the critical steps post-flood is to document the damage for insurance claims accurately. Proper documentation not only helps in maximizing your claim benefits but also ensures a smoother claims process. Here are the best tips to help you document and prepare a flood insurance claim effectively.

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Every day, clients ask questions about the claims adjusting process. Recently, a client and retired home builder affected by Hurricane Ian asked me, how much insurance company adjusters make? I probed, “Why do you ask?” The response, “My insurance company has sent 5 different people to inspect my roof damage and the amount they're paying these people is probably more than the cost to replace my roof!”
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Hurricane Ian is producing all kinds of flood claim issues and conflicts with wind related water damage. National Flood seems to be responding well in some cases but others are frustrated and confused. We just received a $100K advance for one of our clients and we’ve seen some issuing $15K advance for contents and others $30K for buildings but with mortgage company names included.   We believe National Flood will waive the Proof of Loss requirement so look for an extension to the time frame. Also be very patient see what the City of Cape Coral is saying about homes flooded and built before 1981.
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Happy to help educate policyholders in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida.

 

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There’s no question Long Islander’s & New Englanders endured their fair share of blizzards and wicked Nor’easters’, yet for some of our company’s public insurance adjusters who worked for northeastern clients 30-years ago after Hurricane Bob, it feels like yesterday. Making matters worse, Hurricane Henri is projected to make landfall at high tide and with a full moon and that may result in coastal flooding. Please prepare for potential days without power and stock-up sufficiently.

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Tropical Storm Eta has left thousands of residential and commercial property owners with water, flood and wind insurance claims – a process they’ve never had to deal with before. Insurance claim disputes are bound to occur. To deal with these perils it behooves property owners to keep their eye on the ball or in this case the money. High percentage hurricane deductibles are being applied and many folks may be surprised that despite their wind or hurricane coverage, they may be out of pocket for mitigation and replacement costs.

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As flooding from Tropical Storm Eta unfolds, thousands of businesses and homeowners who never considered the possibility, will be dealing with water and flood damage. Our Tampa headquarters office phones are already buzzing. In order to offer assistance to our readers, I asked my talented staff of public adjusters to share some of the best tips they could think of for handling a flood claim. The following are some claim tips that hopefully will help folks should they have flood coverage or windstorm damage.

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Many business owners and homeowners who experienced damage from Hurricane Sally, are just now being allowed back into areas that were deemed too dangerous to enter. Our thoughts are with all businesses and families affected by Hurricane Sally and the brave first responders risking their safety to assist others. Based on damage reports and our own public adjuster staff who are monitoring the situation, the combination of wind, water and flood damage will create some complicated insurance claim disputes. And if property damage wasn’t enough, the long-term loss of power has added misery to the mix. To deal with these perils, it behooves property owners to keep their eye on the ball or in this case the money. High percentage hurricane deductibles are likely to be applied and many folks may be surprised that despite their wind or hurricane coverage, they may be out of pocket for mitigation and replacement costs due to lack of flood coverage or exclusions for water - sewer back-up.

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