Many wonder how long it takes to receive compensation after a hurricane in Florida. If your property was damaged by a hurricane in Florida and you submit a claim for damages to your insurance company, they must respond to your claim within 14 days and they must either deny, fully pay, or partially pay the claim within 90 days.
If your insurance company failed to adhere to these deadlines or violated your rights as a homeowner, you may be able to pursue legal action against the insurance company in pursuit of the damages you deserve.
Know What Type of Insurance Policy You Have
There are different types of coverage and policy limits associated with hurricanes in Florida. Before submitting a claim, you should be aware of what your policy states. If you have a “replacement cost and actual cash value” policy, you are entitled to the amount needed to replace a damaged item with a similar item without deducting for depreciation over time.
If your policy includes “extended and guaranteed replacement cost,” and your home is damaged beyond repair, your policy may pay for replacing it up to the limits of your policy and provide a certain percentage over the limit in case building costs have increased over time.
If you have a mobile home, your insurance may include a “stated amount” policy. This means that the amount of compensation you can receive cannot exceed the amount you agreed to when you first purchased the policy.
Most policies require that claimants file their claims within three years from the date the hurricane first made landfall, so do not delay in filing your paperwork after your property is damaged.
Know What is Covered in Your Homeowner’s Insurance Policy
Before submitting your hurricane claim, inventory the items in your home that were damaged or lost in the storm. Some insurance companies will ask you to fill out a “Proof of Loss” document with this information. Other insurance companies don’t require this form if you have met with your adjuster.
If you have met with your adjuster and received a settlement offer but are unhappy with the offer, you may want to meet with an attorney. Before meeting with an attorney, find out exactly why your claim was denied—this should be listed prominently in your denial letter. Gather all the evidence you have related to the hurricane damage, including before-and-after pictures if possible, and speak with an attorney.
A Property Claim Lawyer Can Help You
If you need help filing a claim, or your claim has been denied, or the settlement offer is too low, an attorney can help you file an appeal or a bad-faith lawsuit. Insurance companies have many resources to help them delay or deny your claim. You may not want to fight them on your own. If you choose to hire a property claim lawyer, they will:
- Help you build an effective case;
- Handle all the communication on your behalf with the insurance company;
- Have the resources to help you present the best case possible;
- Negotiate with the insurance company; and
- Take your case to court, if necessary.
The attorneys at the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine are sympathetic to how long it takes to receive compensation after a hurricane in Florida, and can help you with the complicated process of pursuing compensation for damages from flooding, water damage, roof damage, or general storm loss. Call us for a no-cost and no-obligation case review at 1-800-747-3733. Let us help you recover what you lost before the statute of limitations runs out.
