Hurricane Irma
Date September 20, 2017
By Karen Schiffmiller
I have damage from Hurricane Irma to my property. How long do I have to file or reopen an insurance claim in Florida?
Hurricane Irma made landfall in September 2017 leaving quite a bit of destruction. So many homeowners and businesses sustained damage and were displaced from their homes and could not reopen their businesses. Some were not unable to get back to their property to even assess their damages. Although claims were being reported to their insurance companies, the full extent of the damage was really unknown.
In the State of Florida, your timeframe to file or reopen an insurance claim is within three years after you first sustained damage to your property from a hurricane or windstorm.
Can I do repairs before the insurance company inspects my property?
It is always best to report your claim timely to allow the insurance company to inspect the property damage before you do any repairs. There are times when you have to complete some mitigation or take steps to do temporary repairs to protect your property from further damage. If this is the case, you must photograph and document the removal of the damaged property to show the insurance company.
Why Is My Insurance Claim being delayed?
After Hurricane Irma, many Florida residents became frustrated with the process involved with handling their own insurance claims. A large amount of the field adjusters were out of state adjusters and did not work directly for the insurance company. Not only was there a shortage of adjusters, but there were damages being missed which resulted in claim delays. While there were many Hurricane Irma claims still unresolved, Hurricane Michael hit a year later and the damages also caused extensive by the insurance companies.
Some insurance companies attempt to blame delays on attorneys, public adjusters and contractors. Reliant avoids any delays by promptly complying with document requests from the insurance company and we adhere to your post loss duties of your insurance policy. If you are not complying with requests, this can also lead to delays with your insurance claim.
I did not receive enough money for my repairs. Can I reopen my insurance claim?
The adjusters that work for an insurance company have a tremendous workload and are faced with time constraints to submit their reports. This can lead to underpaid claims because damages can be missed. Additionally, when the adjuster first visits the property the full extent of the damage may not be fully known and you may miss showing all the damages. This will also cause property owners to reopen an insurance claim. As long as you do not sign any documentation with your insurance company finalizing your claim, you will be able to reopen claim.
Do I need a public insurance adjuster?
We get many calls from homeowners who tell us they need our help and really have no idea as to the extent of their damages. They cannot access their roof to see how much damage there is and often realize that documenting their insurance claim is more than they can handle.
At Reliant, we take the stress out of handling your insurance claim. We prepare extensive damage reports with photos and take moisture readings and infrared photos when needed and we will inspect your roof. We also use drone technology to assist us with roof inspections. Whether we are involved at the onset of your claim, or we reopen your claim, we are present for every inspection with the insurance company and will obtain the maximum results for you. We represent you, not the insurance company. The insurance company has an adjuster to represent their interests and you should have a public adjuster to represent your interests. Call Reliant today for more information or to schedule your free claim assessment 561-288-6434.
Hurricane Irma made landfall in September 2017 leaving quite a bit of destruction. So many homeowners and businesses sustained damage and were displaced from their homes and could not reopen their businesses. Some were not unable to get back to their property to even assess their damages. Although claims were being reported to their insurance companies, the full extent of the damage was really unknown.
In the State of Florida, your timeframe to file or reopen an insurance claim is within three years after you first sustained damage to your property from a hurricane or windstorm.
Can I do repairs before the insurance company inspects my property?
It is always best to report your claim timely to allow the insurance company to inspect the property damage before you do any repairs. There are times when you have to complete some mitigation or take steps to do temporary repairs to protect your property from further damage. If this is the case, you must photograph and document the removal of the damaged property to show the insurance company.
Why Is My Insurance Claim being delayed?
After Hurricane Irma, many Florida residents became frustrated with the process involved with handling their own insurance claims. A large amount of the field adjusters were out of state adjusters and did not work directly for the insurance company. Not only was there a shortage of adjusters, but there were damages being missed which resulted in claim delays. While there were many Hurricane Irma claims still unresolved, Hurricane Michael hit a year later and the damages also caused extensive by the insurance companies.
Some insurance companies attempt to blame delays on attorneys, public adjusters and contractors. Reliant avoids any delays by promptly complying with document requests from the insurance company and we adhere to your post loss duties of your insurance policy. If you are not complying with requests, this can also lead to delays with your insurance claim.
I did not receive enough money for my repairs. Can I reopen my insurance claim?
The adjusters that work for an insurance company have a tremendous workload and are faced with time constraints to submit their reports. This can lead to underpaid claims because damages can be missed. Additionally, when the adjuster first visits the property the full extent of the damage may not be fully known and you may miss showing all the damages. This will also cause property owners to reopen an insurance claim. As long as you do not sign any documentation with your insurance company finalizing your claim, you will be able to reopen claim.
Do I need a public insurance adjuster?
We get many calls from homeowners who tell us they need our help and really have no idea as to the extent of their damages. They cannot access their roof to see how much damage there is and often realize that documenting their insurance claim is more than they can handle.
At Reliant, we take the stress out of handling your insurance claim. We prepare extensive damage reports with photos and take moisture readings and infrared photos when needed and we will inspect your roof. We also use drone technology to assist us with roof inspections. Whether we are involved at the onset of your claim, or we reopen your claim, we are present for every inspection with the insurance company and will obtain the maximum results for you. We represent you, not the insurance company. The insurance company has an adjuster to represent their interests and you should have a public adjuster to represent your interests. Call Reliant today for more information or to schedule your free claim assessment 561-288-6434.
