Documenting Your Hurricane Insurance Claim
People in Daytona Beach are no strangers to hurricanes, or the destruction they cause. Homeowners may suffer losses from flooding, damaged roofs and sheds, broken water pipes, and more. Business owners may lose income or worse, their livelihood. Regardless of the damage you have suffered, you will need funds to make repairs and make the structure sound once again. To obtain the full coverage you need, you will need to thoroughly document your losses.
After a disaster, the insurance company will send an adjuster to investigate the damage. The adjuster will give you an estimate of damages, which may differ from your own estimation of the losses. To receive the full value of the damage sustained, you will need to prove your claim.
How to Document Damages After a Hurricane
You should start documenting the damages as soon as possible after a hurricane. It is important to document the damage before you make any temporary repairs. If you do not, the insurer will argue that they did not have the opportunity to view the damage before the repairs were made and so, their investigation was prejudiced. They will use this to deny your claim. When documenting the damage, photos and videos work very well.
As a policyholder, you are also likely required to try and mitigate the damage to your property. Placing a tarp over a broken roof or shutting off the main water line are some of the most common ways property owners mitigate damage. Temporary repairs still come with some expense and you will have to pay for them upfront. You can recover these costs but to do so, you must keep any receipt or invoice you receive.
How to Document Negotiations After a Hurricane
You should contact your insurance company as soon as possible after the storm has passed to notify them of the damage your property sustained. To do this, send a confirmation email or letter after the conversation, covering what was discussed. Any time you speak with an insurance agent, adjuster, or contractor after this point, you should document those conversations in the same manner.
Once you have documented your losses and your insurer has been notified, you and the insurance company will try to negotiate a “Scope of Loss,” which is essentially the damage that must be repaired or replaced. It is always advised that you work with a Daytona Beach hurricane insurance claims lawyer who will properly document these negotiations to ensure you receive the full coverage you need.
Our Hurricane Insurance Claims Lawyer in Daytona Beach Can Help with Your Case
Documenting your claim sufficiently after a hurricane is critical to ensure you receive the full and fair coverage you need. At Bundza & Rodriguez, our Daytona Beach hurricane insurance claims lawyer can help you throughout the claims process and take care of the details so you can get back to normal life as soon as possible. Call us now at 386-252-5170 or contact us online to schedule a consultation and to learn more.
Source:
cga.ct.gov/2006/rpt/2006-r-0498.htm
