Now that the threat of Hurricane Milton has subsided over Florida, thousands of people in the state, whether homeowners or business owners, are starting their tough and challenging recovery journey. As they are looking to rebuild their homes and other damaged places, they are also dealing with the slow and complicated process of filing and getting an insurance claim to rebuild their homes. Milton made its landfall as a category 3 storm in various parts of Florida and caused major destruction, killing around 11 people. It tore off the roofs of the houses, filled the roads with water and mud, and spawned deadly tornadoes. Therefore, insurance claims get into people’s minds immediately after natural calamities when they start recovering. So, in this article, we will tell you how to file and get a hurricane insurance claim in Florida so that your recovery journey becomes easier.
Detailed Understanding of Your Insurance Claim
The very first step involved in filing and getting a hurricane insurance claim in Florida is to understand and review your insurance claim policies properly. This means that every person should understand what their insurance policy covers and what not. Also, they should look for details as to what type of hurricane-related damage is included such as flooding and wind damage. Further, you should see whether the insurance covers your deductible or not and whether they will pay you the amount you spent before the insurance claim gets approved. Keep in mind that flood damage always requires a separate policy from hurricane damage.
Keep Photos of Your Pre-Hurricane Condition
Before the hurricane kicks in and damages your property, you should always make sure that you take pictures and videos of your house. By doing this, you will actually figure out the condition of your house before and after the damage. In addition, the pictures and video will also help in showing the insurance company the difference between the normal living conditions of your house and the damage caused by the hurricane. All this will make the filing of insurance claims a little bit easier.
Protect All Necessary Documents including the Insurance Policy
Now, when the hurricane has damaged your house and other properties, it becomes necessary for a homeowner to protect his belongings. The homeowner makes sure that they evacuate all their necessary things to a safer place so that the things can be protected. So, while doing it, just make sure that with these things, you also protect your insurance policies and other important documents because, when you file an insurance claim, these things need to be handy.
Leave or Evacuate the Property if Damage is Severe
The next step in filing and getting a hurricane insurance claim is leaving the damaged property. If the hurricane causes massive destruction and your local authorities advise you to evacuate your house immediately, then you should do it as soon as possible. This is important for your safety and your loved ones.
Keep Assessing Your Property in Case of Hurricanes
This means that the homeowner should regularly check and visit their home in order to make sure that everything is in proper condition during the danger of a hurricane is subsisting. During this, they should look for things such as roofs, walls, and windows because they could get easily destroyed by the winds and floods. By assessing your house regularly, you will be able to reduce the damage and fix the problems before they actually become bigger. Also, when filing an insurance claim, it will make it easier to show that the damage after the hurricane is new.
Contact Your Insurance Company and Report the Claim
This is one of the most important steps involved in the process of filing and getting a hurricane insurance claim. As soon as possible after the hurricane has passed over, report the damage caused to your house to the insurance company so that the process can be fast. When you contact them, tell them what happened clearly, describe the damage properly, and follow the instructions given by them. By doing this, the process of getting help to cover the repair costs becomes faster. In Florida, there are some insurers who have a helpline for disaster claims that works 24*7.
Report or File the Insurance Claim As Soon As Possible
One of the most important steps involved in this process is to move fast. You should file an insurance claim as soon as possible because, in the case of a hurricane, insurance companies might get swamped with claims. In this situation, the faster you get in, the more benefit you will get. Also, if you file the insurance claim fast, there will be a greater chance that your problems will be addressed and paid out first. Mark Friedlander, an expert, has stated that even if you don’t have all the information ready, just start the process and get it going.
Make Sure to Keep a Detailed Journal and Take Notes
This means that you should write down everything related to your hurricane insurance claim in a diary so that nothing is missed. Also, make sure that all the damage caused to your property is also written down for your convenience. Further, this should include the date and time you talked to the insurance company, what things they discussed, and the things they suggested. You should also note down the steps you took to repair your home before the insurance claim gets approved and keep all the receipts. This will protect you from any issues that arise later.
Provide Correct Information to the Insurance Company
To file and get a hurricane insurance claim, you should report the damage caused to your house to the insurance company. While doing it, it becomes your responsibility that inform the insurer about all the accurate information with regard to the damage including the date and time of the incidents. Share the honest information with them because this will make it easier for them to process the claim. Also, providing accurate information increases the chances of getting a claim without delays.
Take Photos and Videos of the Damage Caused by Hurricane
After the property has been damaged by the hurricane, you should always avoid cleaning the debris immediately. Before cleaning the space and making any temporary repairs, the homeowner should document or take pictures and videos of the damage, both inside and outside of the house. This will help in getting the insurance claim faster and show the insurance company exactly what has been destroyed. Just keep in mind that you do this before making any repairs.
Repair the Damages Caused by the Hurricane Temporarily
Now, when you own a house it becomes your responsibility to protect it in the event of loss. After you have informed the insurance company and given them accurate details, you should make temporary repairs such as covering broken windows or fixing the roof so that it doesn’t get damaged further. However, when you make reasonable repairs, keep an accurate record of all the expenses. This includes the receipts of all the materials purchased to fix the damage to the house that’s already been destroyed. Hence, the insurance company will reimburse the reasonable expenses incurred by you. This step becomes necessary because if you don’t take steps to protect your house after the hurricane and more damage is caused, then your insurance company might not pay for the extra damage.
Keep in Mind to File a Flood Claim Also if you Have Flood Insurance
As we all know property insurance claims do not involve flood damages, so in the case of a hurricane, you should file a flood claim separately. Most standard house insurance policies do not cover flood damage so if you have flood insurance, you should immediately contact your flood insurance company to report and file a separate claim. Therefore, this will help in getting the right assistance for the specific destruction caused by flooding. In Florida, you get flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program or private insurance companies.
Ask About the Adjuster and Meet Him/Her
If you file an insurance claim for the recovery of your house after the hurricane, you should always keep proper track of your communication. While talking with the insurance company, ask them to give you a claim number so that you can track where your insurance claim has reached. Also, ask for the names of the representatives who talk to you. Further, when they assign you an adjuster to assess your damaged property, ensure that you are present during the inspection. The adjuster will take photos and notes of the damage. By meeting the adjuster, you can explain the situation properly and this might prompt the adjuster to make a fair decision.
Hire Licensed Contractors to Get an Estimate
Now, after the adjuster has assessed your damaged home, you should always hire a professionally qualified and licensed contractor who will tell you the estimated value of the repairs. After the hurricane has passed over, bring in a contractor who must give you in writing how much your house’s recovery will cost. This step is necessary because talking to a contractor will help you figure out what needs to be done and whether the estimate of the adjuster is fair and accurate. Also, you can ask the contractor to review the adjuster’s report.
Beware and Protect Yourself from Scams
After the hurricane, many people might come up to scam you so just be aware. When you hire a contractor for your repairs or the insurance company sends an adjuster, just make sure that they are licensed. The Florida Department of Financial Services and the Division of Consumer Services can help you verify the licenses and prevent fraud.
Understanding the Damage Report Made by the Adjuster
The next step in filing and getting a hurricane insurance claim is to understand the adjuster’s report, which he gives the homeowner after inspecting the property. The report has a detailed explanation of the destruction caused to the property and how much the insurance company will pay for all the damages. For a homeowner, understanding this carefully is very important. If you think something is missing and not right, you should talk to the company to get a fair settlement.
Be Absolutely Firm and Treat Your Claim Like a Negotiation
Insurance companies are not your best friends, remember this. While filing and getting a hurricane insurance claim, you should be very confident about the worth of your claim. The homeowner should treat the insurance claim like a negotiation where the person needs to discuss and argue the case to get the amount they deserve. While talking to the insurer, if you feel that the claim amount is too low and will not cover all the repairs, do not hesitate to explain the condition and why you think the claim should be higher.
Make Sure to Get Written Approval for the Repairs
After talking to the insurance company about your insurance claim, you should always ask them for permission for repairs in writing before actually starting the repair work. This step is necessary because it ensures that the repairs are covered under the insurance policy. If you start the process of repairing without getting written approval, the insurance company might not pay you back the amount. Therefore, getting this in writing will protect you from any kind of disagreement and ensure that you get the money for all the damage.
Do Not Miss the Deadlines for Submitting Paperwork
As the insurance claim process is very slow, it can become more slow if you miss the deadlines. After talking to the insurance company, make sure to keep track of the important dates of your insurance claim. These important dates include deadlines to file your insurance claim and submit the repair receipts and other documents. All these things should be done before the deadlines because missing the dates could delay your insurance claim. Therefore, make sure you keep a check on the deadlines.
Understand the Loss of Use Clause in your Insurance Policy
Most of the insurance policies have the loss of use clauses in them that actually take effect when the home is not suitable for living. If your insurance policy has this clause, then this means that your insurer will help you by paying extra money if your home has been severely damaged from the adverse effects of a hurricane or other natural calamity. So, if you are staying in a hotel or are paying for the meals because your house is getting repaired, this clause will help you by covering these expenses. According to Shannon Martin, an insurance expert, some insurance companies write you checks for interim expenses right away until the insurance claim is fully processed.
Always Take Legal Assistance Before Signing Anything
Before your insurance claim gets processed and your insurance company requests you to sign a contract or document, you should always ask a lawyer first. There might be cases when the insurer requests you to sign a Non-disclosure agreement, however, if you feel like signing it, just do it after consulting a professionally qualified lawyer. Also, if you think that your insurance company is treating you unfairly and is not listening to you, then you can seek legal assistance.
Submit the Accurate Proof of Loss to the Insurance Company
The next step involved in the process of filing and getting a hurricane insurance claim in Florida is submitting the proof of loss. These are the formal documents that list everything that has been damaged in your house due to the hurricane. Also, it lists the value of the items and how they were damaged. Further, it needs to be signed by the homeowner because it is sworn proof that all the information in it is absolutely true. The insurance company requires this document because it is essential in fulfilling the claim.
Be Patient While Dealing with Delays and Disputes
When you file and get a hurricane insurance claim in Florida, delays and disputes can occur because insurance companies are not your friends. To avoid delay in the process, be ready with all the information and documents before so that the process can get easier and faster. Also, if there are disagreements between the homeowner and the insurer about how much the claim should be worth, then they should seek legal advice which will help them resolve the issue.
Take the Payment of the Insurance Claim
One of the most important steps in this process is taking the payment from the insurance company to repair the damage to your home caused by the hurricane. After all the documents are submitted with the proofs and the adjuster has submitted its report, the insurer will issue a payment based on the damage costs that have been agreed upon.
Keep All the Paperwork and Documents for Future Reference
When the insurance claim is approved, and you receive all the money to repair your damaged home, the paperwork, receipts, and other necessary documents should be kept safely. This is important because if disputes are raised in the future, they can become helpful. The homeowner should also keep a copy of the adjuster’s report and written contractor’s estimates to avoid future disagreements with the insurance company over the insurance claim.
