Did your homeowners insurance deny your hurricane insurance claim? If so, you’ve come to the right place.
Tropical storms destroy homes across Louisiana each year when hurricane season arrives. Purchasing insurance to protect your assets from these common storms was smart, so it’s important that you receive the benefits you deserve and don’t let anyone take advantage of you.
At Voorhies Law Firm in New Orleans, Louisiana, we want to help you recover from denied storm damage claims. Continue reading to learn the first five steps you should take if your insurance claims don’t go through.
Was Your Hurricane Insurance Claim Denied?
If your insurance adjuster denied your hurricane claim, don’t fret. With the right proactive steps, you can get back on track to seeking compensation and repairing your home. Here are the top five steps you should take:
Look Over Your Insurance Claims
First, you should read through the fine print and try to understand why your insurance company denied your claim. You might have received an explanation letter, though it may be confusing and unclear. Every policy is different, and each one covers varying types of damage.
For example, certain states include portions of hurricane coverage in all policies, like wind damage, while others require you to purchase this separately. Many companies won’t include water or flood damage on a basic plan unless you upgrade your premium.
We recommend reading through your insurance policy, not just the Declaration Page. You can probably find a downloadable version online if you don’t have a copy.
Make a Record of All Property Damage
You must carefully examine every inch of your home to find all property damage. Take notes and photographs of everything, whether it’s structural damage, broken appliances, or damaged personal items. Filing a claim or contacting an attorney to recover damages only to discover more structural issues you didn’t notice upfront creates a new window of challenges.
Once you have your full inventory, you can easily understand the level of compensation you’re dealing with. Many people become overwhelmed by the enormous obvious damages and forget the minor problems that accumulate to create major expenses.
Don’t throw away anything without taking photos first. It may feel tempting to begin renovations, though if you toss out an old moldy carpet, you might not receive funds for its value if you can’t prove that you owned it. Keep samples of everything or take pictures before throwing items away.
Keep a Timeline of All Important Events
Your hurricane insurance claim must include a specific timeline of what occurred. With everything going on, it’s easy to forget these dates. We recommend taking a moment to jot down when:
- The event happened
- You contacted your insurance company to file a claim
- An insurance appraiser surveyed the damages on your property
- You learned of the claim denial
Feel free to add anything else relevant to the issues at hand. If you can’t remember the dates for any of these events, try looking back on phone calls, emails, or messages with your insurance company.
Save All Receipts, Estimates, Invoices, and Bids
Similar to taking inventory of your damages, you should also collect all related receipts and bills in a safe place. Even if you want to pay upfront to resolve damages, keep the paperwork so you can try to receive compensation.
Remain diligent when gathering this information. For example, sometimes, you can receive funds for your temporary living while your home undergoes repairs.
Contact an Attorney at Our Firm for Help
If your insurance denies you funds that your policy should cover, you can file a lawsuit to seek compensation. At The Voorhies Law Firm, we help clients recover from hurricanes in New Orleans, LA, all the time, so we know exactly how to deal with these complicated legal issues.
If you need help with your hurricane insurance claim, call our experienced and knowledgeable team at The Voorhies Law Firm today to schedule a free consultation!
