Since Hurricane Helene impacted Florida’s Gulf Coast, our public adjusters have been besieged with questions about flood claims. Therefore, I thought it would be helpful and hopefully educational to explain the distinction between a flood event and a water loss since these terms are often misused by policyholders filing a claim. In addition, for those who do have flood insurance, we want to share some knowledge and information in the form of tips from my firm’s extensive experience with these losses. While it is human nature to want to quickly repair and restore your property, please make sure you are taking the proper steps to comply and meet the requirements as a policyholder. Furthermore, take a moment to carefully review the NFIP flood claim guidelines, as they have undergone numerous updates.

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Hurricane Helene has dealt a devastating blow up and down Florida’s Gulf Coast. Businesses and homeowners need to stay patient and protect their claim. While you wait for the insurance company to send out an adjuster, insurance companies will be requesting the following documentation from owners or their representatives:
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Hurricane Helene will produce all kinds of flood claim issues and conflicts with wind related water damage. We believe National Flood will waive the Proof of Loss deadline requirement so look for an extension to the time frame. We’ve revived a very popular blog on understanding flood where our talented staff of public adjusters shared some of the best tips they could think of for handling a flood claim. The following are some tips that hopefully will help folks should they have flood coverage.
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Storm surge and wind from Hurricane Helene has created significant damage along the Gulf Coast. Experiencing  wind damage or flood in your home or business can be distressing, and the aftermath can often be overwhelming. One of the critical steps post-storm 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 an insurance claim effectively.
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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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We’ve revived a very popular blog for the benefit of Hurricane Idalia property owners on understanding flood where our talented staff of public adjusters share some of the best tips they could think of for handling a flood claim. The following are some tips that hopefully will help folks should they have flood coverage. Remember flood insurance is a separate policy from your standard homeowners insurance and covered under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Private insurers also sell under this program. A standard homeowners policy “will not” cover flood defined as rising water. Standard policies will cover wind driven rain or any moisture coming from above such as roof leaks.
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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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