 We all feel that because we pay for property insurance, our insurance companies should be there for us when we need them the most.
Our Client, Maryjo (not her real name for privacy reasons) arrived home from her chemo treatment to find water damage to her kitchen flooring and cabinets. Not understanding Florida insurance policies for water damage, she promptly called her insurance company and filed an insurance claim. Not knowing the advantages of using a public insurance adjuster, she let the insurance company inspect her property. She showed them the damage which she assumed was coming from the plumbing system. Who’s Back Does The Insurance Company Have? The insurance company then sent a leak detection company to inspect the property. Rather than performing a complete inspection of the entire plumbing system and appliances, they only inspected the reverse osmosis system which was in one of the damaged cabinets under the sink. The primary focus of their inspection was her roof. The leak detection company told her the roof was compromised, which allowed the water to enter through the roof and damaged her cabinets and flooring. Under her policy, the ensuing water damage from a roof leak is not covered unless a covered peril first creates an opening to the exterior of the building allowing the water to enter though the opening. Relying on their expert's report, and since there was no opening, the insurance company denied her claim. Do Your Due Diligence Maryjo hired a handyman in her community. He found that the water line to the refrigerator was leaking and was the culprit for all the damage. Why didn’t the leak detection company check that line? She trusted the insurance company's expert. Prior to her cabinets and flooring getting water damaged, it had not rained for some time. Also, after the inspections, the damage was getting worse, and it was still wet. How would a roof leak have caused the damage? Why You Need A Public Adjuster When I received her call for help, I asked a lot of questions. I reviewed the denial letter and the insurance policy at the time of loss. It’s important to make sure there are no water damage limits or exclusions. I inspected the ceilings and walls and saw there was no water staining on them, nor was there any damage to the upper cabinets. The damage was isolated to the flooring and lower cabinets in the kitchen indicative of a plumbing leak. Our Knowledge And Experience You should always have an advocate to represent you who has knowledge and experience. We have a combined 36 years of experience handling property damage claims for both residential and commercial policyholders. We know what to look for, what to ask, and have all the tools to properly assess property damage. Remember, not all property damage is a covered loss. If you have a new claim, underpaid claim or denied claim, or need to reopen your claim, we can help. Contact us today for a complimentary policy and claim review.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
