Damage from water can be devastating to your home. If you’re like most people when you suffer a loss to your property, you take comfort in knowing that you have insurance covering your home and your belongings. This warm and fuzzy feeling fades away quickly when the insurance company’s adjuster flatly denies your claim or offers a settlement that is pennies on the dollar. The sad fact is that many insurance companies train their property loss adjusters to deny water damage claims, even when Florida law requires payment of it. After the denial, those companies hope you will forget about it, and go away.
Insurance companies use the words or phrases in your policy, like deterioration, ordinary wear and tear, and faulty maintenance, as an excuse not to pay your claim. They blame you, by claiming you were negligent in maintaining your home. For example, the company will claim it’s your fault that your washing machine hose broke, and flooded your laundry room. Or, it’s your fault that your water heater or HVAC sprung a leak, and caused damage to your home.
The mere fact your insurance company has denied your claim is not necessarily the final answer. Even if your Florida home was built with faulty PVC pipe that failed, which caused significant water damage, you have a right to receive fair compensation for your covered insurance loss.
The Law Offices of Rand Saltsgaver has, for almost 40 years, seen all the excuses companies have used to deny perfectly legitimate homeowner’s insurance claims. We know that insurance companies are required, by Florida law, to honor their contractual obligations, and when they fail to do so, we’re here to assist you. We have contacts in the construction industry, and other fields, who are experts in assessing the causes of loss and finding water damage that may be hidden from view. We know of mold assessors that can determine if your home or business has environmental issues, which may result in unhealthy living or working conditions due to mold. If your home’s foundation was damaged, we have access to engineers of all kinds, who can determine the cause, whether due to sinkhole, erosion, or other reason. We know what to do once the company has denied your claim, or offered a lowball settlement, and get your claim paid by the insurance company!
If you have suffered a loss due to water damage in your home, contact us for a free consultation, and claim review.