So proud of our very own Florida Public Adjuster, Michael Platts who took time out of his busy holiday schedule to play Santa and deliver his yearly childrens' gifts to Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa. It's been a busy storm season for all of us this past year. We want everyone of our readers to have a safe and healthy holiday and look forward with hope to the new year.

The EF2 tornado that started in Pinellas Park and touched down several times all the way through Polk County will have many filing property insurance claims. The industrial claim damage will be especially complicated given property damage, business interruption and inventory loss issues that will arise. As a local Tampa Bay public adjusting firm serving the area since 1984 we are ready to assist policyholders with their claims. Here are some tips and common mistakes to avoid while preparing yourself for the insurance claim process.

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.

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.

There is no escaping the property damage that Hurricane Eta will cause to the Tampa Bay region. This type of storm can throw off tornadic activity and pockets of heavy wind gusts. As a result, thousands of homeowners may be contacting their insurance company to file an insurance claim. Resources are likely to be stretched and frustration with claims will grow as our public insurance adjusters have seen with past storms. We want everyone to stay safe and also be in a condition to recover as best they can. If you experience property damage from Hurricane Eta, here are a few claim tips for filing your insurance claim that will make the process easier and possibly protect your claim from denial or other problems, especially if you have to evacuate.

Proud to be representing retailer insurance claims at Westshore Plaza after fire forces evacuation. Trying to get things settled without further complications.  https://www.wfla.com/news/hillsborough-county/escalator-fire-forces-evacuations-at-westshore-plaza/1966197558

Happy New Year to all our readers! Before the holiday season gets past us, I want to commend Florida Public Adjuster, Michael Platts who embodies the spirit of holiday giving. For several years, Mike has donated to Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa. This year, after being alerted that the they were in need of gifts for young teens, Mike donated 30+ mixed media art supply sets and made some kids and their family’s holiday. Giving back has always been a hallmark if Mike’s personality. Thank you Mike!  

We're happy to help policyholders understand the role of Public Insurance Adjusters in the claims process and be part of WFLA TV8's 2018 Hurricane season storm preparation and disaster planning programming. Click below to see interview or here if you do not see the image.

The following is an insurance claim question we answered for a policyholder through the United Policyholders Ask an Expert Forum.

Q. Is it customary for restoration contractors to charge for 3 triple (cleaning, vacuuming, and/or anti-microbial) treatments in their remediation estimates ?

The following is an insurance claim question we answered for a policyholder through the United Policyholders Ask an Expert Forum.

Q. I made several requests for different reimbursements after a fire for things like mileage, replacement of computer equipment, and laundry expenses. I made the request two months ago and provided all necessary documentation. This is taking way too long. What can I do?