 Whether you own a commercial or residential property in Naples, Florida, or anywhere in the state, you should have a complete copy of your insurance policy.
Understanding coverage is critical when it comes to filing a property damage insurance claim. I cannot tell you how many times we request a copy of the policy from a client, and they only send the declarations page. Why You Need The Full Policy Although the declarations page of an insurance policy will sometimes list forms and endorsements that are within the policy, it does not provide the full language written within your policy explaining the coverages, exclusions, and the wording in those specific forms and endorsements. What many do not realize is that the forms and endorsements can change your coverage. So, the policy language may read one way in the body of the policy, but the forms and endorsements change the actual coverage and supersede the policy's language. Understanding Your Policy & Coverage We just met with a gentleman who had water damage to multiple rooms of his home, which was the result of his roof leaking. Upon review of his policy, there was specific language in his policy that was a condition for coverage. He was convinced that no matter what, his claim should be covered and felt the insurance company was obligated to pay his claim after all the years he paid insurance premiums. In the land of make-believe, it would make sense, and coverage would be afforded just because he paid his premiums. However, in the real world, that’s not how insurance coverage works. Having inspected his roof, I could clearly see where coverage would be afforded, and I explained how and why the insurance company should cover the claim. Request Your Policy You should always have a complete copy of your insurance policy. If you are insured with the same insurance company, you will receive a renewal before the policy term expires. Never discard the original policy because the renewal is only a few pages in comparison to the full policy. Our team has the knowledge and experience to understand complicated insurance policies. If you have a new, underpaid, or denied insurance claim, we can help. Contact us today.
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 Representing policyholders with property damage claims can sometimes get complicated, depending on the type of claim, the extent of the damages, or if there have been prior claims.
The detail that goes into preparing and submitting a proper claim to the insurance company is key. The insurance company may have a different opinion about the cost of repairs or whether something can be repaired or needs to be replaced. A damage estimate should never be inflated for any reason and only include items that are related to the insurance claim. As Public Adjusters, we ask many questions about how the damage occurred and inspect the damages being presented. We document the damages and prepare a detailed line-item cost estimate of the damages with photographic support. Proper Documentation Obtaining information, especially if there are overlapping damages from a different claim is important. Aside from that, documenting items that are not damaged can get tricky. Are the “non” damaged areas continuous and in the same line of sight as the actual damaged areas? Were those parts of the building covered in the prior claim? Are there policy coverage limits that would limit the amount of coverage to the “matching” areas? Having a complete copy of the policy in effect at the time of loss will provide coverages, limits, and exclusions. Explaining this to our clients helps set proper claim coverage expectations. Estimating Software We utilize estimating software compatible with industry standards that allow us to create an itemized damage estimate. We include supporting photographic evidence and when needed, use our thermal imaging camera for further support to provide evidence of water damage. Tools & Equipment Having a good arsenal of tools and the proper equipment to assist us in documenting your claim is integral. From our drone, cameras, thermal imaging cameras, Matterport camera, laser and tape measures, levels, measuring wheels, see scope, and ladders, we are equipped. Contact us today if you have any questions or if you need help with a new, underpaid, or denied insurance claim. At Reliant Insurance Adjusters our team has the knowledge and experience to handle all types of insurance claims.  Hurricanes Helene and Milton made landfall on the west coast of Florida in recent months causing both flood and wind damage, and properties in the direct path of these hurricanes took the brunt of the impact upon landfall.
Having inspected multiple commercial and residential properties that sustained damage, separating the flood and wind damage was imperative to properly determine the amount of damage from each and through which policy to claim the damage. Because some clients quickly began mitigation, and mitigation was underway, we did not see the initial damage. Thankfully, they had photos and videos from each flood, which documented how high the waters were for each storm. Our residential client sustained both flood and wind damage. We had to separate the damages and prepare two different building damage estimates and two separate personal property inventories for each claim. On one of the commercial residential buildings, the primary damage was from flooding. Although they did have some wind damage to the roof and some balconies, their hurricane deductible was so high, that the wind damage would not exceed their deductible. Therefore, it did not make sense for them to file a hurricane claim. In another case where a building sustained structural damage to main supports from flooding, experts and engineers were needed to help determine not only the safety of the building but a detailed plan to repair the structural damage. On this claim, they also sustained wind damage to some of the common areas, as well as damage to the residential apartments. Again, separate estimates for both flood and wind needed to be completed. If you have any questions about your coverage, or you are not sure which claim to file, please contact us today for a free consultation. We have the knowledge and experience to know what types of damage should be filed under flood insurance and hurricane insurance policies. Whether you have a new or underpaid property damage insurance claim, see how we can help you. Call us at (561) 288-6434 or contact us here.  With back-to-back Hurricanes that hit the west coast of Florida within two weeks, it can be difficult to document which storm created damage to your property. Some damages could be overlapping but became worse from the second storm.
This is why it’s important to document damage right away. Both storms had flooding and hurricane-force winds. Your insurance policy is a contract with specific language that requires you to mitigate to prevent further damage to your property. Oftentimes, and out of a sense of urgency, property owners start to clean up and remove damaged evidence before the insurance company has an opportunity to inspect the damage. Tips To Document Hurricane Damage When your property gets damaged and you need to file an insurance claim, you should always have proof of the damage before any cleanup/removal begins. Below are some quick tips to help guide you:
If you cannot prove the property was damaged before it was discarded, you may not be paid for it. Mitigating Damages To Protect Your Property Documenting the damage properly is important to your recovery when you file an insurance claim. As I mentioned above, this is a requirement in your insurance policy and includes mitigation/cleanup. There are multiple reasons to mitigate, some can be tree removal from the building or tarping a damaged roof to minimize water intrusion. Other forms would be to remove residual water from rising flood waters or a broken pipe. Either way, documenting the damages before mitigation/cleanup is key to proving the damage. If you need any help with your insurance claim, whether it’s a new or underpaid claim, we have the knowledge, experience, and professionalism to get you everything you are entitled to. Call us at (561) 288-6434 or contact us here.  I have spoken several times that not all damage is a covered loss when you have property damage. Oftentimes, when you notice damage to your property, your instinct is to immediately call your insurance company and report a claim.
We receive calls from property owners saying they got denied on their claim and need help. To determine if the claim was properly denied, we need to dive into what is going on and ask a lot of questions. What’s The Cause of the Damage It is always best practice to read and understand your insurance policy to know what is and isn’t covered, then assess what’s causing the damage. If you do not know where the damage is coming from, it’s important to contact an expert and seek help. For example, a roof leak causing water damage to the interior of your property may not be covered in your insurance policy. Water damage going on for some time can be considered long-term and may not be covered. Then the question is asked, will the claim remain on their record? Claim Denial on Claim Record If your insurance claim is denied, it may not affect your claims history or record in the same way that a paid claim might. However, the fact that you filed a claim may still be recorded in the insurance company's internal systems or shared with other insurers through industry databases. Here are a few key points to keep in mind:
Insurance Report If you're unsure of your claim history, you can request a copy of your insurance report from databases like CLUE (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) and review its information for accuracy and to see what may be shared with other insurers. The database collects and reports personal property and auto claims. In the event you need help with a new, underpaid or denied insurance claim, Reliant Insurance Adjusters is here for you. Our team has the knowledge and experience to handle all types of insurance claims and we are here to protect our clients’ best interests. Contact us today if you have any questions or need any guidance with your insurance policy.  What is the difference between Additional Living Expenses, more commonly referred to in our industry as ALE, and Fair Rental Value in an insurance policy?
With the recent Tornado damage in Wellington Florida and the trail of destruction left behind, many property owners have lost use of their homes and will need temporary living arrangements. Additional Living Expenses (ALE) ALE in a homeowner's insurance policy is coverage that helps pay for extra expenses a homeowner may incur if their home is uninhabitable due to a covered loss. The loss can be from catastrophic damage as discussed above, or a fire or water damage event. This coverage helps maintain your standard of living while your home is being repaired or rebuilt. Examples of Covered ALE Expenses
ALE coverage usually applies until your home is repaired and livable again. The coverage amount and duration are defined in your policy. Fair Rental Value Fair Rental Value in a homeowner's insurance policy refers to coverage that compensates a homeowner for lost rental income if a part of their home, which was rented to others, becomes uninhabitable due to a covered loss. This coverage typically helps replace the income the homeowner would have received if the tenant could still occupy the rental space, even while repairs are being made. It does not cover utilities or other expenses that the tenant would have paid. The amount and duration of coverage are typically capped by the terms of the policy. In the event you need help with an insurance claim, Reliant Insurance Adjusters is here for you. Our team has the knowledge and experience to handle all types of insurance claims and we are here to protect our clients’ best interests. Contact us today if you have any questions or need any guidance with your insurance policy or insurance claim.  Although Hurricane Season began June 1st, we have had more activity recently. Sadly, the west coast of Florida took a beating, as did other parts of the country.
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