Smoke from fire is like an anesthetic.  Rather than awakening you, it will put you into a deep sleep.  And a little known fact is that most fire deaths occur during the night, with most perishing due to smoke inhalation, not fire. A recent fire in Tampa where a mother and daughter perished due to smoke in an otherwise minimal fire is a perfect example.

Given the severe localized flooding to parts of Southern and the east coast of Florida this past week due to heavy rains, it’s timely to point out that it only takes one storm to trigger a property insurance claim that can decimate your property value. It’s interesting to note a recent article that reviews worldwide property loss stats. While we haven’t had a large catastrophe event it points out that a larger group of smaller storms can still impact insurance rates and property values. Smaller losses, as we have seen in our practice, can still create time consuming claim complications. The time to identify your “claims team” is before you suffer your loss. Work with your insurance agent to fully understand the claims process. Then identify trusted public adjusters, restoration contractors, and yes even property insurance attorneys so you don’t fall upon the predatory few that will try to make a buck from your loss.  

Water damage to lower units is a common insurance claim we frequently see in condominium communities. Believe it or not, this can become a complicated claim depending on where the leak originated, the specific damage that was caused by the leak and if the cause of the damage is the result of someone’s negligence or just faulty plumbing. We came across a good overview of this situation in a Herald Tribune article and encourage you to read it. Regardless, make sure you quickly contact all parties if this type of insurance loss occurs and consider putting a public adjuster on your team to avoid claim denials and proper compensation.

Action 9 News in Orlando recently did a story about a homeowner who experienced a water loss and quickly hired an emergency contractor who tore out the damaged portion of the kitchen and then kept the insurance proceeds without finishing the job. The conclusion of the report was to strongly recommend that folks that have an insurable loss not sign an all-inclusive right to proceeds contract with a contractor. 

You can bet at any gathering of a group of Florida licensed public adjusters, the conversation will start off with the question of how many Florida public adjusters currently exist. No question about it, Florida saw an explosion in the ranks of the public adjusting profession since the big four storms of 2004, as compared to the historical record.  And this does not include the hundreds of non-resident licensed public adjusters who fly into this State to solicit and handle claims.  In the past few years however, the actual number of in-state licensed public adjusters has started a precipitous decline because of several factors.

As public adjusters, we tend to see property damage resulting in an insurance claim sometimes well after the damage has been done and errors in filing and estimating the claim or just simple lack of documentation has occurred. Fortunately, policyholders can take a number of steps to protect their property claim. A recent article by Consumer Reports: Hurricane warning: Don’t let your house insurer blow you over states that “ the policyholder needs to stand tough and stand up to make sure you get everything you’re entitled to under your policy. They point out 10 ways to do that.

A recent article from CNN Money Damaged home? How to get an insurer to pay up states that utilizing a public adjuster can help policyholders obtain a fair recovery. As the article states, “Often, policyholders accept low-ball offers from insurers because they don't know what they're entitled to, don't realize how much repairs cost or they're just worn down.” Public adjusters are typically insurance industry veterans who understand the claims process and know how to talk the industry language. Especially with large or complicated losses or during a disaster, involving a public adjuster early in the process can help the homeowner avoid costly mistakes and subsequent denials that require legal action. 

From Brad Barrett

We want to thank Orlando Public Adjuster Brad Barrett for authoring this insurance claim blog. Is there any future for Independent Adjusters? Some insurance companies would want you to believe that you should only see them from behind a glass window in a museum display.  Although we Public Adjusters sometimes have a contentious relationship with them because we represent the policyholder while they are paid by the insurance company, Independent Adjusters still provide a very important service in the claims handling process.