With New England and now the eastern United States in a deep freeze from record snow and ice accumulation, remember the old saying, it’s the darkest before the dawn.  Yes, there will be a spring and it’s just around the corner according to the Old Farmers Almanac. Spring, also called the vernal equinox comes in the Northern Hemisphere on March 20^th at 6:45pm to be exact. This shouldn’t minimize the extensive property damage being caused this winter as this excellent article on Ice Dams discusses. Many of our staff are gearing up to head north in order to help current clients and work with our public adjuster partners.

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A phone call to our office today from a public adjuster colleague in Boston confirms what we all are seeing on TV. The call started out this way… “Dick as you know our firm has been in the public adjusting business for a long time and we have never seen anything like this.  We need help.” This call is from a good guy and person I have known for years and whose firm enjoys a stellar reputation.  For years we have referred clients back and forth to each other. His firm’s phones no doubt have been ringing off the hook and I suspect their email boxes are full. To my friend rest assured, the cavalry is saddling up. We can’t let a colleague and friend down.

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Q. A shower pan leak caused wood floor damage. Our insurance company says damage from a shower pan is not covered. That seems absurd to me. There is no way we could have known there was a leak until we saw the wood warping. Should our insurance claim be covered?

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On February 28, 2013 a massive fire broke-out in this upscale waterfront home located in Tierra Verde, Florida burning off the roof and causing significant fire, water, and smoke damage to the rest of the building structure, custom furniture, and personal belongings.  As is typical with all fires, which become public record when the fire department gets called, the homeowner was “assaulted” (his words) by emergency service restoration contractors and public adjuster chasers who came from all over the State of Florida to give their sales pitch.  Unfortunately, this property owner fell victim and signed with a restoration company who provided an estimate with a “not to exceed” agreement. But when the contractor sent the invoice for services performed, it was triple the amount!  The insurance company was just as surprised and refused to pay an obviously exorbitant amount. The contractor’s response was to place a lien on the property until the situation could be resolved.
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I am from the government and I am here to help you. The famous line from then presidential candidate Ronald Reagan claiming that the government is here to help you, will in my view always be remembered as the defining quote in his campaign that led to a conservative Republican victory and his election to this country’s highest office.  But that was then, what does it have to do with current events?
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The 2016 Windstorm Insurance Conference at the Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans was a huge success with 850 in attendance. The annual event is all about the best of the best in the property insurance industry that volunteer their time to teach and educate attendees on the latest trends. As a side benefit, the networking with leaders in their field is incalculable. Unlike many other forums around the country, this is the only one I am aware of where you encounter three or four faculty in a workshop all representing a different perspective.  Got questions, ask the panel--no issue or questions are off limits.
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While it seems most of the New York and New Jersey areas escaped major damage from the blizzard, folks in New England weren’t so lucky. We’re seeing reports of major flooding, coastal property damage, frozen pipe bursts and roof collapses from all the heavy snow will continue.  A couple of good articles that were just published Policyholders would be wise to read the articles below that were just published and offer tips on how to better navigate the insurance claims process. 
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Listening to the weather wonks, it sure looks like Winter Storm Juno may be one for the record books. It may also be a notable one for the insurance industry with all the expected claims from water losses due to frozen pipe breaks, collapsed roofs due to heavy snow loads, and most unfortunately fires from faulty heating appliances and improper use of space heaters. Policyholders in New England, New York and New Jersey need to take notice.
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I want to thank Florida Public Adjuster Michael Platts for penning this excellent commentary. 

By Michael W. Platts

I have recently been involved in three cases which bring up a very interesting yet disturbing trend. All three are relatively small insurance claims. In each case, the insurance carriers have chosen to deny these claims without (from my perspective) performing a fair, impartial, proper and thorough investigation.

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The first thing many homeowners do when they experience a property loss is to dust off their insurance policy to see if they are covered. Quickly, they realize the complicated language property insurance policies can contain. It’s important to understand that the dynamics of a property loss are inseparable from the policy language when determining coverage. Even professionals can find interpreting policy language challenging. 
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