It is extremely important to have records of your property’s condition in the event that you need to file a claim with your insurance company. Based on current assessments, Hurricane Debby is expected to cause significant losses from Ft. Myers in Southwest Florida, Sarasota to Clearwater St. Petersburg, and especially into Tampa Bay. Right now, flash flooding continues, storm surge coinciding with onshore winds, a full moon, and high tides may produce some surprises. Property owners should prepare for the worst. Additionally, embedded tornadoes and significant wind gusts are always a risk, causing roof and interior water damage that may initially appear as roof leaks.

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It already appears 2024 will be a very active hurricane season. It’s still not to late to secure your property, make needed repairs, take photos of personal property and pre-loss property conditions. If you do experience a loss here’s 3 things you can do to make your insurance claim, go smoother.
1. Report your claim to your insurer in a timely manner. 
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Dick Tutwiler the Founder and Emeritus CEO of Tutwiler & Associates Public Adjusters was recently featured here on the Homeowners Be Aware podcast. During the interview, he provides some great insight into dealing with property insurance claims and some of the hurdles policyholders will face. If you have a favorite podcast platform, simply search "Homeowners Be Aware." The podcast can also be found on website: https://homeownersbeaware.com/  
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Insurance is a cornerstone of risk management, especially when it comes to safeguarding valuable assets like property. However, the concepts of Estimated Maximum Loss (EML) and Probable/Possible Maximum Loss (PML) have been causing ripples of discontent among policyholders. Let's delve into what these terms mean and why they are becoming a concern, especially for commercial clients such as hotels and apartment complexes. 
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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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Power outages will be an unavoidable reality for policyholders who are impacted by Hurricane Idalia. While some outages last only a few minutes, others can stretch on for days, causing considerable inconvenience and financial loss. From spoiled food in the refrigerator to potential business losses, the aftermath can be burdensome. This brings up an essential question: Does your insurance policy cover losses stemming from a power outage? Here's what you need to know about power outage insurance claims
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Here is what we are seeing and advice on how property owners can handle and avoid potential problems with their flood and wind insurance claims.  As tremendous losses continue to mount, many recovering from Hurricane Ian are realizing their insurance companies are not paying policy limits for flood and wind claims, as reported by the Cape Coral Breeze in an article on October 14, 2022. Officials told a crowd of several dozen to stay persistent in working with National Flood insurance companies on getting reimbursement and compensation for work to repair homes, while other owners we have spoken to have already received denial letters. 
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Here’s a good recent article to share that can help those impacted by Hurricane Ida work through their insurance claims. If you have questions or need assistance with a large loss from Hurricane Ida, we stand ready to help.

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As Tropical Storm Elsa approaches the Tampa Bay area residents need to take this storm seriously and prepare accordingly as the path continues to evolve. This type of storm can throw off tornado 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. Below are a few popular pre-storm claim tips that we always try to share with clients. Please feel free to pass them along. Bottom line – PREPARE NOW!

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We were so glad to be able to work with Tampa Bay Times seasoned reporter Philip Morgan to help educate the public regarding insurance claims and the value of having a public adjuster professionally manage the claim. Read here: The Policyholder's Champion in Tampa Bay

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