According to statistics, about 1 in every 20 insured homeowners file a claim for property damage each year. When your property is damaged by fire, water, mold, or a hurricane, you should expect your insurance provider to investigate your claim and payout accordingly for the risk that you have been paying premiums for over the ownership time of the property.

Unfortunately, insurers are often known to take their time or undervalue the property claim, leaving you out of pocket and sometimes unable to mitigate damages to fix your property properly.

This is frustrating, and can be very distressing. Thankfully, here’s where property damage lawyers can alleviate your time and stress.

In this guide, we’ll explore how property damage lawyers in Florida can help when you’re shortchanged by your insurance company.

What Is Classed as Property Damage?

Property damage is a broad spectrum. It covers residential or commercial damage caused by fire, mold, flood, vandalism, collapse, water damage, and severe weather depending on what your insurance policy covers under the circumstances.

As you are probably aware, living in Florida, hurricane season runs from June 1st through to November 30th each year. During these months, homeowners will be hoping their insurance is in place and covers the loss and any damage is fully adjusted and paid up.

Why Hire Property Damage Lawyers?

Usually, lawyers that deal with property damage get involved when the insurance company is not handling the claim fairly. Examples of this include:

• Delayed payment - If your insurer takes longer than the statutory 90 days from the date you filed the claim to make a payment or deny the claim.
• Underpaying - Insurers that fail to offer a reasonable settlement for the amount of funds due for the actual property damage claimed and damaged.
• Denial of valid claims - If a claim that should be covered pursuant to the terms and conditions of  the policy’s terms is denied.

Many claims are settled fairly and timely. Where the claim is particularly large or complicated there’s more at stake for both you and your carrier. In these cases it is important to know that you can and should benefit from legal support from a property damage lawyers on your side.

Hiring a property damage attorney for legal assistance in the following scenarios:

• A dispute for a claimed amount that the adjuster who inspects your property on behalf of the insurance company does not properly provide an estimate of full damages to your carrier;
• where the claim is complicated or complex;
• in situations where it’s hard to determine fault and the damages need to be addressed in accordance with the conditions of the policy at place at the time of the date of the loss.

On these and other occasions, having a lawyer to bat for you will increase your chances of achieving a favorable and fair outcome.

How a Property Damage Lawyer Can Help

In insurance disputes, the playing field is not equally matched because the insurance companies have professionals in place on their side all the time. Also, insurance companies have teams of lawyers who know the rules and the loopholes in every claim.

The insurance companies have these people in place to be able to know the conditions and exclusions of the 100 pages in the policy to know how to underpay, delay, or completely absolve themselves of all responsibility.

Having experienced legal counsel on your side will balance the scales. We’ll be able to tell you when to refuse a settlement offer, and we understand the nuances and conditions as well as the requirements of the carriers under the terms of the policy you have and know the counterarguments to unfair responses from your carrier.

Best of all, we don’t get paid unless you do.

Let Us Fight Your Corner

If you’re in uncertain battle with your insurance company over the settlement you deserve, you need experienced property damage lawyers. The Knoerr Law Group is here to help.

We’re located in Coral Springs and work throughout the state of Florida with over 50 years of combined experience fighting insurance companies. Get in touch today to find out if you've got a property damage case that needs our support.