Hurricane Sally Insurance Claim Update – The Public Adjuster’s On-the-Ground Perspective

Hurricane Sally Insurance Claim Update – The Public Adjuster’s On-the-Ground Perspective

It’s been a little over a month since Hurricane Sally roared ashore. My fellow adjusters and I have seen some serious damage in the Pensacola area and we plan to be here for the long-haul. Many policyholders are just starting to receive their insurance checks in the mail and much to their surprise, the settlement checks received are grossly insufficient and barely cover a fraction of what the true cost of repairs will actually be. Some brave souls are trying to handle their own claim. We see this same scenario play out in every storm that we have worked over the years.


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How to Deal with Hurricane Sally Low-Ball Insurance Claim Settlement Offers

How to Deal with Hurricane Sally Low-Ball Insurance Claim Settlement Offers

If the feedback we are getting on the ground in the Pensacola area and the inquiries coming into our offices are any guide, policyholders are none too happy with the settlement offers they are receiving for their Hurricane Sally property damage claims. Most often we are told the offer does not remotely cover the cost of repairs based on estimates local contractors are providing.


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More Surprises in Your Insurance Policy for your Hurricane Sally Claim

More Surprises in Your Insurance Policy for your Hurricane Sally Claim

Hurricane Sally has exposed what I consider some very questionable underwriting tactics that recently have been written into some property insurance policies. A few examples are, limiting emergency service to a fixed cost or not to exceed a set amount which exposes the policyholder to higher out of pocket expenses. As an example, emergency services for mitigation efforts were not limited in Coverage A (your building limit of liability) in prior policy periods. Now we are seeing examples where only a small percent of Coverage A is being made available for emergency services.


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Have you received your Hurricane Sally LOWBALL claim settlement offer yet?

Have you received your Hurricane Sally LOWBALL claim settlement offer yet?

If you have experienced damage from Hurricane Sally, get prepared for the inevitable. We are hearing from commercial and residential property owners daily about their Hurricane Sally claims and their biggest complaint is, “Why is my settlement so small”?There are many possible reasons for this.  Among the most common are:


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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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Hurricane Sally Roof Damage - Repair or Replace?

Hurricane Sally Roof Damage - Repair or Replace?

As property owners with insurance claims resulting from Hurricane Sally start to receive settlement offers from their insurance company, our public insurance adjusters continue to field calls and questions from people still struggling through the insurance claims process. One question that frequently comes up involves how much roof damage there must be for the entire roof to be replaced.


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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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"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