Being a homeowner can be one of the biggest achievements for any individual. However, owning a property also arrives with several responsibilities. For example, paying bills and mortgages are very common obligations that must be met with the utmost urgency. Nonetheless, serious problems can arise when your home gets damaged by factors beyond your control. Things such as vandalism and natural disasters are common causes of homeowner property damage claims. In addition, it is no secret that here in South Florida, the weather can be extremely unpredictable and difficult to deal with and.
Usually, you will be required to pay monthly fees to your insurance company in order to receive coverage for any damage or loss within your home. However, at the end of the day, these insurance companies need to secure their revenue in order to continue operating. As a result, if you file a claim for damage or loss, these firms may intend to save some dollars for themselves instead of providing you with proper coverage you are entitled to receive.
A denied homeowners claim in South Florida can be one of the most overwhelming situations that an individual can encounter as a homeowner. Oftentimes, insurance firms impose policies that state that your coverage can be limited by the nature of the damage.
We can only imagine the anguish that you are going through in this current moment. The truth of the matter is that these homeowner insurance companies must be helping you during these difficult times but instead, they go ahead and tell you that your losses are meaningless. You are in your right to raise your voice and fight for what is fair. The reality is that you are paying expensive fees to your insurer in order to receive coverage for your losses.
Although you can appeal against your insurance company, you must know that this process is tedious if you do it on your own. Appealing against a denied homeowners insurance claim often leads to a series of legal disputes with your insurance company. That is why you should seek the representation of a homeowners insurance lawyer. This type of legal expert will help you glide through the obstacles of your insurance policy!
We would like to invite you to keep reading our article so that you can learn what to do when your claim is denied, the reasons why your insurer did not assume their responsibility, and the benefits of hiring a homeowners insurance attorney in South Florida.
What Is Homeowners Insurance?
It is defined as property insurance that covers losses and damages to people’s homes. Additionally, it can even go to the lengths of covering damages to furniture and other assets within the residence.
A homeowners insurance policy often covers four types of incidents on the insured property. These are: Interior damage, exterior damage, loss or damage of personal belongings, and injuries that may occur while on the property. If homeowners file a claim for any of these incidents, they must pay a deductible.
A homeowners insurance deductible is the amount of money that the homeowner must pay before their insurers cover their insured losses. The following claim payment that homeowners receive from their insurance firms is the total damage and loss amount minus their deductible. For instance, imagine that you have a $500 deductible –
If a natural disaster causes $15,000 worth of damage to your home you’d pay $500 and your insurance company would pay the remaining $14,500. For wage-earners, the most common tax deductions include those for mortgage, interest payments, state tax payments, student loan interests, and charitable deductions.
The Types of Homeowners Insurance Coverage
- Coverage for the structure of your home: Homeowners insurance pays for all of the necessary repairments that your home could need after being affected by things like fires, hurricanes, hail, and lighting. Most insurance policies cover damages to structures within the home such as tool sheds, gazebos, and garages. Furthermore, trees and plants are also covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy.
- Coverage for Personal Belongings: As we mentioned before, furniture, clothing, jewelry, and other personal property are covered by standard homeowners insurance policies if they were stolen or damaged by other factors. These can be wind, water, or fire. Standard policies usually cover 50 to 70 percent of the insurance that you have on the structure of your home. Insurance companies often cover expensive belongings like art, jewelry, furs, and silverware. However, these firms usually set a limit on the coverage for these items. In order to cover the full value of these possessions, homeowners must acquire a special personal property endorsement.
- Covering Additional Living Expenses: If your home became uninhabitable because of the damages, your policy should cover your expenses while you live somewhere else. It could even go to the lengths of covering hotel bills and restaurant meals.
The Most Common Homeowners Claims in South Florida
- Wind and Hail: These damages occur due to high-velocity winds and strong damaging iced hail. These weather events have the ability of uprooting trees, damaging roofs, and destroying personal belongings within the property. Strong storms can produce heavy winds that may damage your home’s infrastructure and cause debris to fall on your roof.
- Fire and Lighting: Fire can be caused by cooking accidents,shorted circuits, over-heating, and careless smoking. Lightning damage can produce a power surge that can destroy appliances and expensive electronics.
- Theft: Claims for theft can be filed for personal property losses resulting from a break-in.
Reasons Why Your Claim May Be Denied
- Not Filing Your Claim on Time: Most insurance policies will require that you promptly notify them of any losses within your home. There are also time sensitive deadlines to file and submit legal paperwork.
- Insufficient Documentation of Property Damage: It is important to show proof of the damages that your home suffered. Insurers are not responsible for filing the necessary documentation for you. For that reason, it is crucial to fully document all property damage within the home..
- Exclusion Clauses on Contracts: Every homeowners insurance policy comes with exclusions. This means that there may be cases where certain policies could prevent your insurer from covering specific property damage
- Failure to Maintain Preventive Measures: After a property loss, you are required to protect your home from further damage. Leaving your residence exposed to future losses may lead to a denied claim.
Steps to Take After Your Homeowners Claims Has Been Denied
- Understanding Your Denial: Homeowners insurance claims can be quite difficult to understand due to its complex terminology. You must re-read your claim in order to comprehend why it was denied. What we mean by this, is that your insurance company has to provide you with an accurate reason and not just redundant excuses. If you believe that has happened to you, you have every right to ask your insurance company to review your denial. They have to give you answers!
- Understanding Your Policy: If your claim was denied, it is important to review your policy. For example, if your home was damaged in a fire, you can request a copy of your insurer’s response. Once you have this copy, verify if your claim was denied with or without a just cause. Claim denials often occur due to filing errors from your insurer. Claims can also be denied because of a mistake when limiting your coverage.
- Prove That Your Claim Was Incorrectly Denied: If you consider that your claim shouldn’t be denied, it is important to gather the right evidence to prove your point. We suggest that you take photographs of the damage, gather records of purchases made to protect your home, and proof your conversations with your insurer.
- File an Official Appeal: Make sure you properly file all documentation that has to do with the process of rejecting an unfair denial.. Additionally, it is vital to speak to a homeowners insurance lawyer in order to receive professional advice on how to proceed with that specific aspect of the process..
Benefits of Hiring a Homeowners Insurance Lawyer in South Florida
Insurance companies tend to perform schemes against people who are not represented by a homeowners insurance attorney. These legal professionals have the capacity to tackle all insurance policies and applicable real estate laws. Furthermore,they can calculate the corresponding coverage that you are entitled to receive based on your insurance plan.
Homeowners insurance attorneys can correctly analyze your policy to determine your coverage, as well as any other payments the company is required to pay youAdditionally, these homeowners insurance lawyers can initiate a thorough investigation into previous and current home inspections, audits, and other documentation pertaining to your home.
If reaching a settlement with your insurer has been impossible, a homeowners insurance lawyer can take your case to trial.
Hire a Homeowners Insurance Lawyer Right Now!
This article was brought to you by the offices of Homeowners Claim Denied. We will be honored to assist you with your denied homeowners claim in South Florida. This process requires the expertise of the best homeowners insurance attorneys. Luckily, you will find them in our firm! What are you waiting for? Contact us right away at 954-741-6244!