Tutwiler Public Adjusters Assists Condominium Board Facing Absent Insurer, Contractor Liens, and Deductible Miscalculations Recover $2.37 Million Property Insurance Claim Settlement – Avoids Litigation

Tutwiler Public Adjusters Assists Condominium Board Facing Absent Insurer, Contractor Liens, and Deductible Miscalculations Recover $2.37 Million Property Insurance Claim Settlement – Avoids Litigation
On September 16, 2020, Hurricane Sally caused severe damage all along the Emerald Coast and greater Pensacola regions. The effects of Sally were not quite as extensive as what the Mariner endured with Hurricane Ivan in 2004, though Sally’s impact did pack a windy punch rendering the building uninhabitable for quite some time. 
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Florida Legislators Must Be Mindful Fixing the Homeowners’ Insurance Crisis - Don't Throw the Baby Out with the Bathwater

Florida Legislators Must Be Mindful Fixing the Homeowners’ Insurance Crisis - Don't Throw the Baby Out with the Bathwater

Every year, the insurance lobby tells us insurance companies are losing money, yet lawmakers pass laws and reforms stripping consumers' rights, permitting insurers to delay legitimate claims, and implementing preferred contractor network repair programs that enrich contractors working for insurance companies, rather than insurers indemnifying homeowners for their claims. Additionally, there has not been any real and demonstrative evidence lawmakers can show to support how laws and reforms enacted last year have been protective. All things considered; I am not seeing any financial relief forthcoming for homeowners, especially given the many proposed expansions to the upcoming special legislative session. 


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Champlain Towers Collapse – A Public Adjuster’s View

Champlain Towers Collapse – A Public Adjuster’s View

As the Champlain Tower collapse unfolds, people must understand this is a very fluid situation. Now is not the time to be pointing fingers but instead supporting the victims' families and conducting a thorough and objective investigation. That being said, as a 45-year veteran of insurance adjusting in Florida, I have seen and been involved in all types of condo claims in Florida for decades. I concur, water is the cause or should I say the most frequent cause of all insurance losses. Water damage has and still is occurring and causing failures of building components particularly in ocean side concrete structures.


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Will Hurricane Sally Insurance Claim Repair Estimates Cover Your Losses?

Will Hurricane Sally Insurance Claim Repair Estimates Cover Your Losses?

As policyholders begin to hear back from their insurance company regarding their Hurricane Sally insurance claim, many will learn that the amount offered by their respective insurer is not sufficient to pay for their complete loss and damages. Some may even learn part of their claim is denied. This is common when there is widespread damage to a geographic area and especially true with more complicated commercial claims to businesses, condominiums and hotels where methods to fix or replace damage can become complicated. There can be many reasons for this including overworked adjusters not documenting specific damages, out of state adjusters not familiar with the market or inside claim adjusters who have never personally seen the claim simply denying certain parts of the claim. 


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The Art & Science of Hurricane Sally Repair Estimates

The Art & Science of Hurricane Sally Repair Estimates

Most homeowners and business people do not understand the complexities of estimating repair costs. Even with a policy in-hand, there is much to be interpreted and many unique factors that can impact each claim. As the recovery process for Hurricane Sally continues, we’ve received anecdotal evidence from independent adjusters who are telling us they are submitting their estimates and reports only to have the carriers send them back or make in-house changes without their knowledge. Basically, they find out the estimate they wrote was chopped up to save the carrier money. This is not happening everywhere, but enough to cause concern.


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Additional Living Expenses Explained for Hurricane Sally Storm Damage Policyholders

Additional Living Expenses Explained for Hurricane Sally Storm Damage Policyholders

If your Florida home was severely damaged by Hurricane Sally to the extent that it is uninhabitable to live in, most insurance policies provide a coverage called “Additional Living Expense” or “A.L.E.” if it is a covered loss. Under the Additional Living Expense coverage, you and your family may be entitled to rent another home of the same size, like kind and quality as well as be reimbursed for any extra expenses you incur such as food and temporary lodging.


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Beware of Hurricane Sally Condominium Association Insurance Claims Turning Sour

Beware of Hurricane Sally Condominium Association Insurance Claims Turning Sour

There is no questioning the devastation that a hurricane can bring.  Hurricane Sally brought severe winds, flooding, wind driven rain, tornadoes and widespread power outages. And as we have learned, even the slightest hurricane can cause massive damage. This storm season is no different with storms incurring property insurance claims well outside their main core. Condominiums along the coast have seen some of the worst damage. As condo associations and their unit holders interact with the insurance company, things can quickly change and the stories that unfold can be heartbreaking. 


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Hurricane Sally Condominium Associations and Owners Face Insurance Claim Challenges

Hurricane Sally Condominium Associations and Owners Face Insurance Claim Challenges

While we are assisting Condominium Associations and working with property managers trying to manage their Hurricane Sally insurance claim, this is about the time in the insurance claims settlement cycle that we start getting calls from property owners living in condos, who are looking for help following property damage to their building that impacted their unit. This often takes the form of damage to the unit owner’s property, including their personal property as well as items such as carpet, other types of floor covering, trim items such as door frames, baseboards, cabinets and the list goes on depending on the type and severity of the damage and the wording in their condominium documents. When a covered casualty event occurs, whether it is from wind, water, fire, or the dreaded “mold” word, the finger pointing starts and in many cases the unit owner is caught in the middle.


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Advice for Condominium Associations Handling Hurricane Sally Insurance Claims

Advice for Condominium Associations Handling Hurricane Sally Insurance Claims

I’ve had the opportunity to consult with several Condominium Association Boards after major storms like Hurricane Sally. Most of the conversation deals with recommendations for dealing with their insurance company adjuster and contractors that I would like to share with others who may benefit from the same information.  


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"On Property" Insurance Claim Tips Blog

Tips and advice about how to properly file and protect your property damage insurance claim and get a fair settlement. We invite all readers to ask questions about their claim so our public adjusters can post answers for others to benefit. Insurance claim expert guest bloggers welcome to submit posts via our contact form.

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Local Office

Tutwiler & Associates Public Adjusters, Inc.
Licensed Public Insurance Adjusters & Loss Consultants
Offices: Tampa, Orlando, Palm City, Ft. Myers, Florida; Dallas, TX; Pittsburgh, PA

Executive Office
4300 W. Cypress St.
Suite 780
Tampa, FL 33607
Phone: 813.287.8090
Toll Free: 800.321.4488

Licensed in Florida # W840088 &
Texas #1399706 plus 16 other states
and the Virgin Islands