Insurance Claim Denial Lawyers in Sarasota, Florida

Homeowners and property owners in Sarasota need to be aware of the potential for events that can cause serious property damage. Hurricanes are the most obvious source of severe damage, but the state can also experience flooding, hail, tropical storms, and other types of weather that can damage a home extensively.

It is helpful for anyone who is in the process of making a claim or those who have already had issues with their insurance company to understand some potential problems that they may face and how Sarasota Florida hurricane damage attorneys can help. Here is an overview of how to properly file an insurance claim and get legal assistance if necessary.

Homeowners insurance claims denial lawyers in Sarasota

A homeowners insurance policy is generally a good way to protect the large amount of investment that goes into owning a home. In most cases, the insurance policy is capable of paying for large amounts of damage as long as the homeowner has been keeping their policy active, pays their deductible, and they follow certain rules related to making a claim when the right time comes. These policies are crucial, as it is possible that the homeowner will need several thousand dollars for repairs if something like roof damage or water damage occurs. Financial assistance through the insurance company and the policy is often the only way to get this kind of help and make the needed repairs. When damage happens after a hurricane or other event, the homeowner should immediately take precautions. The damage should be documented through photographic evidence or other means. The homeowner should also get in touch with their insurance company to start the claim process and allow an adjuster to review the damage. If there are any disagreements with the adjuster’s assessment, these can be appealed by Sarasota hurricane damage lawyers at a later time.

Even though homeowners insurance can be a huge help when it functions as intended, it is also possible that problems with insurance companies and issues that affect the insurance industry as a whole can result in serious problems for the claimant.

Sarasota insurance claims denial attorneys

Many people who have filed insurance claims following hurricane damage will find that their insurance provider will not fulfill their claim. There can be problems such as the policy not covering the relevant type of damage, the claim was filed too late, or the homeowner made some kind of mistake when bringing the claim that makes it void. Many of these regulations and requirements are necessary for the insurance company to prevent fraud which increases costs for everyone. However, insurance companies also engage in tactics such as excessive delays, paying very low amounts, or bad faith denials to save money at the expense of their customers.

Whether a claim denial is legitimate or not is not always obvious. This is why many claim denials are never appealed or reviewed and homeowners lose out on large sums of money. Insurance claims lawyers may have to take a significant amount of time to track the claim, review the policy, and investigate the insurance provider’s actions after receiving the claim. If a professional review is not conducted, it is unlikely that errors or misconduct by the insurance provider will ever be discovered.

Negotiations from an Insurance Claim attorney in Sarasota, Florida

Low settlement offers are another related problem that can affect property owners who have reported damage. If an insurance claim is underpaid by the provider and the homeowner will not be able to fix their property with the amount that was offered, there may need to be settlement negotiations. This means that the insurance claims lawyers will try to negotiate with the provider to get an amount that is satisfactory to the policyholder.

In order to be successful in these negotiations, the lawyer or firm should have significant experience in dealing with insurance companies and success in prior settlement talks. Tactics to get a more favorable settlement may include rejecting low offers, looking for mistakes by the insurance company, and disputing prior damage assessments.

Bad faith insurance claim denials in Sarasota

Not all insurance claim denials are the fault of the claimant. Insurance companies sometimes engage in an illegal practice called bad faith denials. This means that the homeowner followed all of the steps to properly document and submit the claim, yet the insurance company denied it anyway. There is often some kind of illegitimate excuse given, or the insurance company may simply delay for as long as possible without providing any real answers when they are rejecting a claim in bad faith.

There are serious consequences for an insurance provider once bad faith claim denials are discovered. The claimant can file a lawsuit for various types of damages to be compensated for their losses. It is also possible that an insurance company that engaged in widespread illegal practices will face sanctions from the government.

Advice about insurance claim denials

Madalon Law is a trusted firm that works with local clients in the Sarasota area. Their hurricane damage insurance claims lawyers are available to help those who need advice about insurance claims, claim denials, and related issues. Anyone who needs additional advice can contact the firm and schedule a meeting to get started.