Will Your Hurricane Matthew Insurance Claim Offer be Sufficient to Cover Repair Estimates?

Will Your Hurricane Matthew Insurance Claim Offer be Sufficient to Cover Repair Estimates?
As policyholders begin to hear back from their insurance company, 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 either documenting specific damages or inside claim adjusters denying certain parts of a claim. 
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Five Reasons to Hire a Public Adjuster for Your Hurricane Matthew Property Insurance Claim

With the widespread property damage caused by Hurricane Matthew, many property owners will be seeking out assistance and advice for their insurance claim. One of the most common questions we receive as these calls come into the office revolves around the benefits of hiring a public insurance adjuster. It still amazes us that so many policyholders have not heard of our profession or understand what public adjusters do. So while we try to educate and not blow our own horn, I’ll try to answer that question in hopes of giving readers a basic understanding of the benefits of hiring public adjusters and the role they play in the insurance claims process.
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Hurricane Matthew Insurance Claims – Some Common Sense Advice from an Experienced Florida Adjuster

Hurricane Matthew Insurance Claims – Some Common Sense Advice from an Experienced Florida Adjuster
After 10 years of a hurricane drought, Florida has experienced two named Hurricanes, Hermine and Matthew.  Our hearts go out to all the folks affected by Hurricane Matthew. Based on damage reports and our own public adjuster staff who are out helping policyholders, it looks like the worst of the damage goes from Melbourne up through Daytona Beach, St. Augustine and Jacksonville.  Anything on the coast felt the wrath from Matthew. From the media reports, flooding was as bad or worse than the wind in many locations but in combination they likely did a number on property owners.  And if property damage wasn’t enough, the loss of power 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 being applied and many folks may be surprised that despite their wind or hurricane coverage, they may be out of pocket for the mitigation and replacement costs due to lack of flood coverage or exclusions for water - sewer back-up. 
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Insurance Claim Tips as Hurricane Matthew Approaches Florida – And Some Your Insurance Company May Not Want You to Know

Insurance Claim Tips as Hurricane Matthew Approaches Florida – And Some Your Insurance Company May Not Want You to Know

It’s looking increasingly probable that Hurricane Matthew will impact and cause property damage to some parts of Florida’s east coast and further up the coast into Georgia and South Carolina. This type of storm can throw off tornado activity and small 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 we have seen with past storms. 

If you experience property damage from Hurricane Matthew, 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: Click to read the tips for Hurricane Matthew insurance claims.


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Adjuster Education - Turtle Glass Building Codes and the Impact on Beachfront Property Owners and Carriers

Adjuster Education - Turtle Glass Building Codes and the Impact on Beachfront Property Owners and Carriers
As often happens in the adjusting business, you think you have seen or know most of the issues. But then a surprise comes along and you realize there is always something new in the business of property insurance adjusting.  To put it another way, you don’t know what you don’t know.  So here is what I didn’t know that I needed to know. This new revelation came this week when meeting with my client in his gulf front estate in Siesta Key, Florida.
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Winter Storm Claim Adjusting Practices Leave Much to Be Desired

Winter Storm Claim Adjusting Practices Leave Much to Be Desired
As we continue to help our clients who experienced winter storm damage, settle their insurance claims, we are learning more and more about insurance company claim practices and procedures, some which is quite troubling. This winter in the northeast, we endured some grueling battles with insurance companies which I will detail below. No doubt, insurance is a for-profit business and no business likes to lose money.  We also understand that one can’t generalize one company’s behavior to all insurance companies as they all have their own standards of practice. And like other public adjusters in our industry, there are good apples and there are a few bad that can taint the entire profession. 
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Ever Wonder What Happens to Your Panhandle Claim Once the Adjuster Leaves?

Policyholders in Pensacola, Destin, Gulf Breeze and Ft. Walton Beach might be surprised that having an adjuster look at your claim is only the beginning of the process. Remember, the field adjuster that inspects your property may not be an employee of the insurance company. They are typically independent adjusters on contract and typically are paid a set fee or percentage for each claim they handle. You should ask them what firm they are with when they come to inspect your property and note how thorough they are recording your damage and if they are “listening” to you.
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Where’s the due diligence from financial institutions when it comes to property losses on residential and rental investments?

Throughout my career, I have always been amazed about the fact that financial institutions like mortgage companies, banks and credit unions, all who have a stakeholder’s interest in a property, (either through a mortgage or some type of financial interest or obligation) never seem to question a claim payment made by an insurance company following a loss. I realize they are in a unique position, either as an additional insured, lien holder, mortgage holder, bankruptcy receiver, etc., and their client, the insured, is supposed to be on the frontline looking out for their own financial wellbeing.  But it’s their security interest or in some cases a fiduciary responsibility that is at stake. So you would think they would have more than just a passive interest to confirm that a settlement on a property loss is correct and payment is in accordance with the policy and the facts of the loss.
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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, 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