Your Rights As A Florida Hurricane Victim
Florida property owners have thus far filed reportedly $2 billion in claims to their insurance companies seeking assistance for damage caused by Hurricane Irma. The storm was ranked as one of the most powerful to hit the Atlantic, and killed at least 33 people in the state of Florida alone. It is crucial that insurance companies are prompt in responding to hurricane claims, as the more time that passes without access to their homes, the more unnecessary costs they experience. Your level of protection largely depends upon what protection your state offers you. Yet, while the state of Florida’s two largest insurers—Universal Property & Casualty and State Farm—have indicated that they have plenty of resources to ensure that their clients are taken care of after the storm, thousands of people in Florida are reportedly being told that their insurance policies will not cover the losses they sustained, indicating that they may have a fight ahead of them in getting the protection they’ve already been paying for years. The Issue of Floods Frequently, policyholders are told that they have no coverage if their damage was caused by flooding, specifically. Coverage also tends to be hampered if the damage is due to both winds and flooding, combined. Because flood insurance is not included in most homeowner policies, some are required to have it, however, floods caused by hurricanes affect more land and homeowners than typical, expected floods, leaving homeowners in a bind. The Law in Florida Florida provides specific protection regarding homeowner claims, known as a “Bill of Rights,” which is specific to the claims process (and in addition to other rights policyholders have in the state). Those include the right to: Have your claim acknowledged within 14 days after submitting it; Receive notice from your insurance company regarding how much of your claim is covered within 30 days of submitting your proof-of-loss statement; Receive full settlement payment for your claim and/or the undisputed portion of the claim (or a denial, if applicable) within 90 days; Free mediation from the Florida Department of Financial Services, should you so choose regarding your disputed claim; Neutral evaluation of your disputed claim if it involves a sinkhole covered by your policy; and Seek the assistance of the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services for assistance with any claim. The law also provides advice regarding what contractors you work with and in working with your insurance company before entering into any contracts for repairs or assigning policy benefits. Experienced Legal Representation in Central Florida Insurance Disputes At HD Law Partners, we are dedicated to serving hurricane victims with their property insurance claims. We have decades of experience litigation insurance coverage disputes throughout the state of Florida. We can assist you in formulating an appropriate strategy for ensuring that you and your family are protected. Contact us today. Resources: https://sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/fl-bz-hurricane-irma-aob-warnings-20170909-story.html https://insurancejournal.com/magazines/features/2017/10/02/465609.htm https://myajc.com/news/state–regional/irma-victims-now-may-face-insurance-struggles/DhD9KKjZj3mmn7XxNUCpyL Tags: Florida Homeowners Insurance Attorney, Florida Homeowners Insurance Attorneys Posted in Homeowners Insurance, Property Owner Law | No Comments » Connect with us Archives May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 July 2025 June 2025 January 2025 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 November 13 Categories Alimony Appellate Arbitration Auto Accidents Auto Insurance Business Corporate Business Insurance Law Child Custody Child Support Criminal Law Divorce Family Law FEMA Insurance Payments Florida’s Mandatory 2‑Hour Legal Professionalism CLE: Foreclosure Defense Fort Myers Hurricane Insurance Attorney General Guardianship HD Law Partners Service HOA/Property Management Homeowners Association Homeowners Insurance Hurricane Claims Hurricane Insurance Insurance Bad Faith Insurance Claims Insurance Defense Insurance Litigation Landlord Tenant Law Enforcement Liability Loan Modifications Mold Water Damage Parental Rights Paternity Personal Injury Premises Liability Law Prenuptial Agreements Private Security Property Distribution Property Owner Law Sarasota Insurance Litigation Attorney Slip Fall Tampa Business and Corporate Attorneys tampa family attorney Tampa Insurance Attorneys Timeshare Timesharing Uncategorized HD Law Partners is proud to be your trusted full-service law firm Quick Links Property & Casualty Business & Corporate Litigation Family Law Contact Us Careers Get In Touch 2002 North Lois Avenue Suite 510 Tampa, FL 33607 813-253-5333 Contact Us