Hurricane and Storm Damage Insurance

August 31, 2016

Tips For Filing A Hurricane & Storm Damage Claim in Hernando County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

Hurricanes and storm damage in Florida can be quite destructive. Most home and business owners throughout the state are aware that these forces of nature could bring catastrophic damage, which is why they take the precaution of purchasing property insurance to cover any potential damage.

Even though it may be seem obvious to policyholders that their building or property was damaged from a hurricane or tropical storm, insurance adjusters may try to argue that fact. That is why it is important to understand the steps you can take to help make sure your claim get approved smoothly:

Document your damages. Take before photos and then after photos of anything damaged to show to the adjuster. Include close-up photos that detail the damage. This can be very important when it comes to dents in roofs and siding.
Keep your receipts for your home furnishings, business supplies, equipment and inventory. Try and locate your receipts that may have gotten wet or damaged during the storm and dry them out. Keep in mind that it is a good idea to keep an electronic inventory log for these very purposes. Be aware that insurance adjusters are professionals at undervaluing the cost of your damaged goods – it is their job to lowball.
Never assume that your home or property survived a storm without damage just based on looks. Some messes just clean up well. Hire a professional, certified inspector. High winds, hail damage, etc. can sometimes take a year or more to show up in the form of a slow water leak, electrical problems and even structural loss.
File your claim as soon as possible after hurricane or storm damage. If you delay, that just gives the insurance company more fuel to justify denying, delaying or undervaluing claims.

August 30, 2016

Plan Ahead For Filing A Hurricane Insurance Claim in Citrus County

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

I think we can all agree that our homes and personal property are important assets. Most Floridians are aware of the risk of living in an area that is susceptible to hurricanes and storm damage, which is why they do all they can to protect their property before a storm and purchase property insurance to cover any potential damage. You have little control over the damage that is done by a storm, despite what insurance adjusters may try and argue.

The following is a list of things you should do to protect your assets in the event a hurricane or storm damages your property:

Take pictures or videos of your house and personal belongings to show to adjusters so there is evidence of the before and after effects.
Keep your receipts for expensive items and for anything without a receipt, keep an inventory list. It is helpful to include the model, make, year of purchase and cost. The more organized you are, the better.
Save all pertinent information in a safe place where it cannot be destroyed by storm damage. It is best to have an electronic copy of this information. Consider emailing it to a friend or family as backup.

June 7, 2016

Rick Scott Urges Floridians To Prepare For Tropical System

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

With Tropical Storm Colin creating messy conditions across much of Florida, Governor Rick Scott is urging Floridians and visitors to the state to be prepared.

Governor Scott released the following statement:

We are closely monitoring this tropical system and its potential impacts on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Our most important goal is to protect our families, visitors and communities, and we will take every action to make sure our state is prepared for this weather event,” said Scott. “While Florida’s emergency officials, first responders and National Guard stand ready to respond to any need, it is crucial that Floridians use every resource to make sure their homes and families are immediately and thoroughly prepared.

The National Hurricane Center gives the system a 50 percent chance of becoming a tropical cyclone over the next five days.

Upper-level winds could be more conducive for development as the system moves northeastward across the Gulf. Regardless whether it becomes a named storm, it’s likely to produce heavy rains in Florida.

Even if this system does not develop into a named storm, it still poses significant risks from flooding, damaging winds and tornadoes, and rip currents.

The potential impacts of this tropical storm include:

Rainfall amounts that could reach up to five inches across much of Central and South Florida with isolated totals of eight to ten inches along the I-4 corridor.
Severe thunderstorms are possible across North Florida. Additional severe weather is possible through Tuesday across portions of Central and South Florida.
Increased wave heights along the Gulf Coast Monday and Tuesday and along the Atlantic Coast on Wednesday will elevate the risk of rip currents and minor coastal erosion.

Part of living in Florida, is dealing with severe weather, such as hurricanes and tropical storms. During hurricane season, it is always a good idea to make sure you stay up to date with the way the storms are categorized, and to know the procedures your family should follow in the event a storm hits.

The American Red Cross has put together a list to help people be prepared in the event of a tropical storm or hurricane. The following is a hurricane safety list, and identifies what you need to do to keep safe in times of severe weather:

Get a full tank of gas before the storm. There could be shortages after the storm.
Create an evacuation plan with family members.
Keep plenty of cash with you.
Make sure to have at least three days’ worth of food and water for each person in your household.
Gather family and emergency contact information. Make sure all family members have ID.
Get all medical prescriptions filled before the storm.
Install plywood or hurricane shutters on doors and windows and secure all loose objects outside your home.

If you are evacuated from your home, leave early and make sure to avoid driving on flooded roads and bridges. Even shallow water can be dangerous.

August 26, 2012

Insurance Companies Poised to Work on Property Owners Damage Claims as Hurricane Isaac Approaches Florida :: Whittel & Melton

by Whittel & Melton, LLC

According to news release by Farmers Insurance Group of Companies, including Foremost Insurance, 21stCentury and Bristol West, the company and its subsidiaries are prepared to work with property owners as Hurricane Isaac makes landfall in Southern Florida this weekend and passes through the Florida panhandle, Alabama and Mississippi coasts this week. The worst damage may be to coastal communities like St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota, Spring Hill, Crystal River who get the high winds and water at the edges of the Hurricane and Storm conditions.

Famers Insurance will organize claims adjusters to cover any and all affected areas once Isaac hits land.

Farmers Insurance instructs its customers in Isaac’s anticipated path to stay up to date with the latest weather reports and begin making crucial arrangements.

Appropriate contact numbers for customers with damage after Isaac hits can be found here.

Friday marked the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew, a storm that wreaked havoc on south Florida in 1992. With Hurricane Isaac swiftly approaching, this could be the first hurricane Florida has seen since 2005. If you plan on riding the storm out at your home, make sure you have the following essentials on hand:

• At Minimum, 5 Gallons of Water
• Flashlight with Additional Batteries
• At Least Several Days’ Worth of Non-Perishable Food Items – You Can Never Be
Too Careful
• Battery-Powered Radio with Extra Batteries On Hand
• Cell Phone Along with Chargers
• Have an Evacuation Plan Set in Place and Follow Any Evacuation Orders
While you may think that you have your emergency kit ready for when Hurricane Isaac strikes, the Florida Hurricane & Storm Damage Attorneys at Whittel & Melton would like to remind you of the preparations you may not think about in regards to making a hurricane claim on your insurance policy. We recommend documenting your home and commercial properties by taking pictures of every room of your house or business. This includes documenting your personal property. Take multiple photographs from multiple angles, so that in the event that your home suffers even slight damage you can be sure that your claim won’t be denied due to lack of documentation. The good thing about photographing your property and personal items is that you should only need to do this once.

It is important to be aware that keeping good records can speed up the settlement of your claim. When compiling your room-by-room inventory, try and record the manufacturer’s names, dates and if at all possible, the price of the items and where they were purchased. If you can, locate your receipts and document the serial numbers, manufacturers’ names, dates of purchase and prices. Make sure you are completely ready for a hurricane or tropical storm by taking the time to document your properties, as this could save you and your family much time and frustration after the storm.