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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Policyholders who were impacted by Hurricane Idalia flooding will soon be faced with fully complying with the terms and conditions of their flood policies.  One of those tasks is the filing a Proof of Loss (POL), which to the layman can be as complex as building a house with no construction experience.  Not surprisingly, our Florida public adjusters are already fielding calls with questions from confused policyholders.
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We’ve revived a very popular blog for the benefit of Hurricane Idalia property owners on understanding flood where our talented staff of public adjusters share some of the best tips they could think of for handling a flood claim. The following are some tips that hopefully will help folks should they have flood coverage. Remember flood insurance is a separate policy from your standard homeowners insurance and covered under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Private insurers also sell under this program. A standard homeowners policy “will not” cover flood defined as rising water. Standard policies will cover wind driven rain or any moisture coming from above such as roof leaks.
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Based on current forecasts, it appears Hurricane Idalia will create significant flooding from Sarasota to St. Petersburg and especially into Tampa Bay the likes that this Florida public adjuster has not seen. Storm surge coinciding with a full moon and high tides may produce some surprises and property owners should prepare for the worst. In addition, embedded tornadoes and significant wind gusts are always in the mix. The time to prepare is now. And should you experience damage, you want to do everything you can to protect your property insurance claim. Experiencing a flood in your home or business can be distressing, and the aftermath can often be overwhelming. One of the critical steps post-flood is to document the damage for insurance claims accurately. Proper documentation not only helps in maximizing your claim benefits but also ensures a smoother claims process. Here are the best tips to help you document and prepare a flood insurance claim effectively.

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As flooding from Tropical Storm Eta unfolds, thousands of businesses and homeowners who never considered the possibility, will be dealing with water and flood damage. Our Tampa headquarters office phones are already buzzing. In order to offer assistance to our readers, I asked my talented staff of public adjusters to share some of the best tips they could think of for handling a flood claim. The following are some claim tips that hopefully will help folks should they have flood coverage or windstorm damage.

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Many policyholders impacted by Hurricane Sally will be dealing with flood related issues for the first time. For those who have flood insurance, we encourage you to review and pay close attention to your flood policy’s terms and conditions. The policies issued by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) are unique because they fall under a Federal Government program with its own rules and regulations. Keep in mind that many private insurance companies resell and administer the NFIP policies.  So, make sure you confirm if your flood policy falls under this program.

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As the catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Florence unfolds, thousands of businesses and homeowners who never considered the possibility of dealing with flood damage will be investigating the claim process. We will be sending a team of adjusters to the Carolinas when authorities say it is safe to enter. So in order to offer assistance to our readers, I asked my talented staff of public adjusters to share some of the best tips they could think of for handling a flood claim. The following are some claim tips that hopefully will help folks should they have flood coverage or even windstorm damage.

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The catastrophic flood event expected from Hurricane Florence with widespread flooding on the Virginia, North and South Carolina coasts is bringing back bad memories from the debacle we went thru with Superstorm Sandy. For those who have flood insurance, we encourage you to review and pay close attention to your flood policy’s terms and conditions. The policies issued by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) are unique because they fall under a Federal Government program with its own rules and regulations. Keep in mind that many private insurance companies resell and administer the NFIP policies.  So make sure you confirm if your flood policy falls under this program.

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Expert Public Adjuster Dick Tutwiler explains the importance of understanding the difference between flood and water damage property insurance claims.  What to do if you have both wind and water damage. What you need to know about flood insurance to avoid claim delays.

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Policyholders may be surprised to find that their flood claim for foundation damage is denied because the NFIP says the damage is caused by earth movement or settlement; even though the earth movement was caused by flood waters! Before I discuss this, let me remind the reader that each loss is fact specific to each property. You may have two homes or commercial buildings in close proximity to each other and the loss conditions from the same insured event may vary to the point where they impact the claim.

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