Experienced Orlando Hail Damage Lawyer
A year-round warm climate is one of the big attractions of living in Florida. But as most Florida residents know, the weather can change in a moment. Clouds gather, the skies darken, large hailstones send people running for shelter – and the resulting hail damage leaves property owners shaking their heads.
If your property was damaged by hail and your insurance company is happy to honor your claim, great. If they’re wrongfully denying or underpaying your claim by trying to apply inapplicable policy exclusions and limitations, you need a lawyer to give you personal attention and help you to get the coverage promised. This is where the dedicated team of Orlando hail damage lawyers at Vargas Gonzalez Baldwin Delombard, LLP comes in.
Common Causes of Property Damage In Florida
Weather-related property damage in Florida can take different forms. Fires, storm surges, water, hail, and windstorms can cause huge amounts of damage to your winter haven.
Problems with flooding also often occur in Orlando, Florida. Storm-related flooding is one of the most common causes, and it damages many homes. Hail is another major cause of water damage to property.
Hail Damage to Property In Florida
As many as 15% of all claims for homeowners in Florida resulted from hail damage to property. Between 2018 and 2020, the insurance loss related to such damage was between $800 – $1 trillion. To make matters worse, the frequency of hail storms has increased over the last few years. 2019 saw more than 4,560 severe thunderstorms.
While hailstorms can be hard to predict, they commonly occur between 2pm and 4pm during May and June. Smaller ice pellets are generally harmless to people, animals, and structures, but larger hailstones can shatter glass, dent metal, damage roof surfaces, leave pelting marks, and cause skylight damage. They can also scratch roof shingles, aluminum siding and roofs, and gutters. Heavy hail can crack asphalt roofs, wood, and vinyl siding.
Wind-related Property Damage
Strong wind sometimes accompanies hailstorms, and those winds are a major cause of property damage insurance claims. Exterior wind damage accounts for approximately 25% of claims. On average, the damage caused by strong wind is greater than the damage caused by a tornado.
Why You May Need An Attorney
You should contact your insurance agent the moment you discover your home has sustained hail damage. While you’re not legally required to hire a law firm when filing an insurance claim, a lawyer can improve your chances of a favorable settlement.
If your house suffered hail damage, you’re not alone. There’s a good chance other Florida residents were affected by the hail storm too. When hail affects a number of people in the same geographic area, home insurance companies often try to find reasons to deny claims to protect their bottom lines. If they don’t deny claims outright by trying to apply inapplicable policy exclusions and limitations, they may underpay you.
Attorneys in Orlando with extensive experience in dealing with hail damage insurance claims can assist you in achieving positive outcomes in court. Experienced attorneys in these practice areas can offer you much more efficient representation, making it possible to obtain a much higher payout for repairing or restoring your property.
Florida Hail Damage Insurance Claim Types
If you’re considering filing an insurance claim after your home was hit by a storm, check for the following types of damage:
Roof damage:
The most common kind of damage caused by hail storms is to roofing shingles. It’s usually easy to spot serious damage like chipped or broken shingles. But it can be more difficult to see cracks. Hire a professional to assess your roof so you can be sure of the full extent of the storm damage.
Siding and window damage:
Strong wind during a storm can blow hail against your home’s sidings and windows. Check for a minor chip that could spread, cracks, other signs of pelting, and any significant damage.
Filing a Florida Hail Damage Claim
Call your homeowner’s insurance provider immediately if you find any signs of hail damage . However, don’t sign any contracts or agreements until you have all the facts regarding the full extent of the damage claim, what your insurer covers, and what the home insurance company can legally limit or deny.
As mentioned, you can file an insurance claim without a law firm, although you might find it helpful to enlist the services of an experienced attorney. A qualified insurance attorney may be able to help you obtain a settlement even if the damages amount is less than your claim. Just note that you cannot file a lawsuit after accepting a settlement.
Overview of Hail Damage Claims in Florida
The extent of hail damage to your home usually depends on the number and size of hailstones. The scope of your homeowner’s insurance policy determines whether any of the damage is covered. Common types of damaged caused by hail include:
- Broken windows
- Cracks
- Dents
- Home siding damage
- Landscape damage
- Roofing and skylight damage
As some damage to your home may not be immediately obvious, it’s important to have a professional evaluate it. Minor damage left unchanged or unrepaired can lead to bigger problems.
Next, you should review your policy to ensure you meet all the requirements when submitting a claim. Experienced attorneys can assess your legal options and help you submit your claim in accordance with the contractual conditions.
When multiple homeowners in the same area submit claims, an insurer usually tries to find reasons to deny as many of those claims as possible. They do so to limit the amount of money they need to pay out. Some of the common reasons for denying a claim include:
- Damage was allegedly pre-existing
- Damage was related to natural/normal wear and tear
- Damage falls under policy exclusions
- Failure to maintain structure or poor construction contributed to damage/loss
- Policyholder did not pay premiums on time
Instead of denying your claim, your insurance provider may deliberately undervalue it. When doing so, insurance adjusters might claim that insufficient property was damaged to warrant a full replacement. Or they may claim the damaged property requires minor repairs instead of replacement.
If your homeowner’s insurance company do this, it may be acting in bad faith. It’s important to enlist the help of an experienced lawyer as soon as possible in case you need to file a breach of contract action. Timing is important, as most companies have limits for the insurance claims process.
More Storms Mean More Property Damage
The increasing frequency of hail storms in Florida means there’s an increased chance of your property suffering damage from solid precipitation. All Orlando residents should purchase damage protection policies, as these policies can help you avoid paying repair and replacement costs.
Hail damage costs can run into thousands of dollars. If insurance companies deny, delay, or underpay your hail damage claim, the consequences could be serious.
Is Your Insurance Company Refusing Your Claim?
Hail damage claims can be difficult to resolve, and many policyholders settle for less than the true value of their damages or losses. Some of the common potential issues with insurance companies include:
- Unnecessary delays in resolving your claim
- Disputing policy language
- Coverage surprises
- Denying that hail caused the damage
- Only covering surface damage and ignoring deeper damage that could lead to other issues over time
- Ignoring non-roof-related damage such as damage to HVAC systems, sidings, and windows
- Underpayment due to inaccurate or rushed assessments
How Insurance Works
Homeowners insurance is a package policy that entitles the policyholder to compensation for property damages. Most insurance packages usually exclude damage from earthquakes and floods but do cover hail and fire damage. Your insurance policy may require you to photograph the damage to your property. Even if this is not a policy requirement, it’s recommended. If you don’t repair or replace damaged elements of your home, your property may lose value.
Guaranteed/Extended Replacement Cost
A plan that offers guaranteed/extended replacement costs should pay for repairs and/or replacements even when the damage cost is above policy limits. These plans are helpful when natural disasters lead to supply shortages that result in price increases.
Liability Protection
Liability protection covers the legal claims against the policyholder connected to property damage that happened, whether the policyholder was negligent or not.
Personal Belongings
Personal belongings policies cover damages to or loss of clothing, furniture, leisure equipment and other personal belongings covered by the policy.
The Structure of the Home
The home structure section of the policy covers repairs to or restoration of the residence itself following hail damage or other disasters.
When Insurance Companies Don’t Come Through
Vargas Gonzalez Baldwin Delombard, LLP, is one of the top law firms handling insurance claims for property damage caused by hail in Orlando, Florida. Our attorneys have a proven success rate for our clients and will work tirelessly to achieve a better positive outcome for you than you could do alone.
If you think your insurance company has not offered fair compensation after your home suffered hail damage, take the first step toward obtaining the settlement you deserve. Contact us for a free consultation today.
