Every year, hurricanes in Florida lead to terrible and expensive damage to people’s homes and property. Even if you have a valid insurance policy, there is no guarantee that the insurance company will approve your claim and award you adequate compensation: insurance companies sometimes delay or undervalue claims to save themselves money.
A Fort Lauderdale hurricane property claim lawyer with Anidjar & Levine helps homeowners file such claims with their insurance companies.
Our Fort Lauderdale property claims lawyers won’t back down as we fight to get the money you need and deserve. Call today for a free consultation.
You Can Work With Our Hurricane Property Claim Lawyers in Fort Lauderdale
If you have insurance to cover your losses following a hurricane, the insurance company must hold up its end of the bargain. However, contrary to how they market themselves, insurance companies are multi-million-dollar for-profit businesses. They make money by selling policies – not fulfilling claims.
Our Fort Lauderdale hurricane claim lawyers can help you by:
- Assessing the cost of your damages
- Reviewing your insurance policy to determine coverage
- Identifying which policy provisions apply to your situation
- Managing all communications with the insurer
- Keeping your claim on track
- Protecting you against unfair, bad-faith tactics
Best of all, our team of Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyers works on a contingency-fee basis. Our payment comes from your insurance settlement. You don’t pay us anything if we can’t get the insurer to make an offer.
You Have Options Under Florida’s Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights
Do not be confused by the title: the Florida Homeowner Claims Bill of Rights applies to anyone who has property in the state. If an insurance company violates any of the following, it could face fines and other civil penalties:
- The insurance company has a 7–day window to acknowledge the initial submission of your claim.
- Within 30 days of your sending them a written request, the insurance company needs to notify you of its decision to fulfill or deny your claim.
- If they approve your claim, the insurance company must pay you within 60 days.
You may also have the right to partake in mediation, which is a meeting facilitated by a neutral third party where you discuss your claim with the insurance company’s representative. If there is any dispute about whether your claim is valid or how much your claim is worth, mediation could help you resolve it without further action.
What Does Your Insurance Policy Cover?
Your insurance settlement will vary depending on your coverage. Hurricane coverage in your case could account for:
- Harm to your home’s interior or exterior
- Harm to your vehicle
- Reimbursement for hotel and food costs if your home is unlivable
- Removal of wreckage and debris around your home
- Replacement of damaged personal possessions
Hurricane insurance is not the same as flood insurance. This distinction is where matters can get tricky, since flooding can happen during hurricanes. Our Fort Lauderdale lawyers can evaluate your situation and identify your covered losses.
Are You Required to Have Hurricane Insurance?
Florida does not require you to carry hurricane insurance, although doing so is a smart idea. Fort Lauderdale’s position on Florida’s east coast makes it vulnerable to hurricanes, which have only gotten stronger in recent years: the National Weather Service (NWS) reports that 2024 was an unusually wet and warm year for South Florida generally and Fort Lauderdale in particular, which contributed to the multiple hurricanes that hit the region that year.
When Should You Get Started on Your Hurricane Damage Claim?
The deadline for filing your insurance claim really depends on your insurer. However, for the most part, insurance companies want to know about a situation as soon as it happens. If you miss the deadline for filing your claim, you risk a denial.
Anidjar & Levine can identify the liable policy, gather supporting evidence, and notify the insurer of your claim. Call now to get a free consultation from a firm that our past clients describe as “kind and very professional.”
Beware of These Property Insurance Company Tactics
Insurance companies only want to save themselves money. These organizations often go to considerable lengths to deny claims. While you consider legal aid or have one of our lawyers handle your case, here are some “red flags” that could harm your case:
The Insurance Company Gives You Contradicting Information
One day, the insurance company might say that your settlement check is in the mail. The next day, however, they might go back on their word.
If something does not add up or you feel like you are getting conflicting information, this could be a sign that the insurer is trying to underpay your claim—and that working with a Fort Lauderdale hurricane property claim lawyer from our firm could benefit your situation.
The Insurance Company Asks You to Give a Recorded Statement
You might think that giving a recorded statement allows you to share your version of events. It does not. Instead, it gives the insurer the chance to deny your claim. They may ask you questions that somehow make it seem like you are responsible for what happened.
For instance, they could imply that your home’s damage existed before the hurricane or that you did not take adequate measures to protect your home from damage.
Do not give a recorded statement. Instead, tell the insurer to talk to your hurricane claims lawyer.
You Get “Friend Requests” From People You Don’t Know
It costs nothing to make a social media profile. The insurance representative might make a fake profile and “friend” you to get access to your posts so they can look for material to use against you.
While we handle your claim, you should avoid:
- Posting pictures of your home to social media
- Making posts about your home’s damage or situation
- Tagging the insurance company in any posts
- Accepting requests from people you don’t know or “friends of friends”
Even an old picture of yourself at home could be used to question the harm to your property, so take precautions when using social media. When in doubt, ask our legal team.
The Insurance Company Frequently Changes Representatives
It is not unusual for insurance representatives to change jobs or get transferred to different departments. However, if you find that a different representative is handling your case each time you call, it could be a tactic to stall the claims process. The insurance company hopes that making these switches will discourage you and get you to drop the claim.
Do not let this stop you from getting the money you deserve. Let the hurricane claims team at Anidjar & Levine handle all necessary communications for you.
Work With Anidjar & Levine On Your Case
Anidjar & Levine can help if you want legal representation during a property claim dispute after a hurricane. We understand how difficult it is to rebuild and start over in the aftermath of a devastating hurricane, and we do everything possible to provide each client with the responsive legal care they deserve.
Our initial consultation is always free. Get started by calling our Fort Lauderdale hurricane property claim attorneys now.
We Can Help.
