The EF2 tornado that started in Pinellas Park and touched down several times all the way through Polk County will have many filing property insurance claims. The industrial claim damage will be especially complicated given property damage, business interruption and inventory loss issues that will arise. As a local Tampa Bay public adjusting firm serving the area since 1984 we are ready to assist policyholders with their claims. Here are some tips and common mistakes to avoid while preparing yourself for the insurance claim process.

There is no escaping the property damage that Hurricane Eta will cause to the Tampa Bay region. This type of storm can throw off tornadic 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. If you experience property damage from Hurricane Eta, 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.

We were happy to contribute to the 1 year anniversary of Hurricane Michael with information on appraisal as policyholders continue to try and settle their property claims. Thank you Panama City News Herald for running this article: How the appraisal process may help you settle your Hurricane Michael damage claims

It’s been just over three (3) months since Hurricane Michael decimated Panama City, Mexico Beach and Port St. Joe causing billions of dollars in damage in just those areas alone.  Michael was the strongest hurricane to ever strike the Florida Panhandle, reaching back to the beginning of even fragmentary historical records in 1851. Let’s not forget the thousands of people affected in northern areas of Florida such as Blountstown, Marianna and the many other towns throughout Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina where it pummeled thousands trying to recover from Hurricane Florence a month earlier, not to mention Virginia where the remnants of Michael caused 5 deaths.  

Your property or business suffered damage during Hurricane Michael. You promptly filed a claim or had a public insurance adjuster document and file the claim for you. A check from the insurance company appears in the mail. Great! How easy could it be? But wait, there’s a catch…..on the back of your check there is language that states you are releasing the insurance company from any further costs related to the claim.

If the feedback we are getting on the ground in Panama City 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 Michael 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.

Hurricane Michael has left thousands of residential and commercial property owners with insurance claims – a process they’ve never had to deal with before. Thanks to our senior public adjuster, Kevin Leisure for participating in a recent WFLA TV interview to discuss what people need to know about the property insurance claims process and what mistakes policyholders need to avoid making. Bottom line, property owners need to be patient but persistent with regards to their insurance claim and educate themselves. Our firm has already set-up an office in the Panama City area and we expect this will be a long process of recovery. Our adjusters are dedicated to educating policyholders and getting them the settlement they deserve in order to rebuild. See our Hurricane Michael insurance claims page for additional information. 

I was happy to offer some quick insurance claim tips to Hurricane Michael property owners along with Scott Bedell from Master Restoration. We're already taking calls and our Panama City Public Adjusters will be establishing an office next week. Our prayers go out to all the affected residents. This is going to be a long haul and we'll see the same insurance claim issues as we've seen with other storms and I'm sure we'll see a few new twists. The insurance claim settlement challenges will be omnipresent and we'll be sharing our perspective on the developments has they happen along with some claim tips. Send us any of your questions about Hurricane Michael insurance claims so we can share them with our readers. Stay tuned!

It’s been a while since I have seen Cat 5 hurricane damage.  In fact, the last time was back in 1992 when Hurricane Andrew came ashore in South Florida.  No shortage of Cats 1,2,3, and maybe a 4 in there somewhere in the past 26 years, but trust me, a Cat 5 hurricane catastrophe stands out and those memories will stay with you forever.
 

So, it all came back to me when I visited St. Maarten/St Martin, a Dutch/French island in the Leeward Islands, one of the first in the island chain to be hit by Hurricane Irma eight months ago. This was my first trip back after the storm, but some of my colleagues at Tutwiler & Associates Public Adjusters had already been on the ground shortly after the storm passed, meeting with old clients and signing up new property owners as soon as commercial flights resumed. Eight months later our efforts paid off as our clients’ property insurance claims are settled and the rebuilding planning and construction has started for them.

Your property or business suffered damage during Hurricane Irma. You promptly filed a claim or had a public insurance adjuster document and file the claim for you. A check from the insurance company appears in the mail. Great! How easy could it be? But wait, there’s a catch…..on the back of your check there is language that states you are releasing the insurance company from any further costs related to the claim.