Types of Loss: Hurricane Damage
Now, more than ever, hurricane damage is becoming an undesired reality among the residents of the United States. With hurricane season just barely beginning, and already two Category 4 hurricanes directly hitting the U.S. there are millions of individuals who have suffered some type of loss directly related to the hurricane itself. Hurricane Harvey swept through Texas and devastated Houston with flooding and structural devastation. Just when residents began to clean up the devastation in Louisiana and Texas from Hurricane Harvey, then Hurricane Irma made a direct hit in the Florida Keys, resulting in catastrophic damage. Hurricane Irma, another Category 4 hurricane, caused significant damage in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. The hurricane season is far from over, and it is imperative that insurance be purchased to protect your property and personal items.
After Hurricane Harvey and Irma dissipated and the residents of those affected states were finally able to begin to rebuild, they started to assess the damage. The damage was catastrophic. If you were one of those individuals who went through these devastating storms and have suffered property loss or personal property loss, please contact Coffey McPharlin and we will help you file your hurricane damage insurance claim and get the settlement you deserve so that you can begin to rebuild and establish some form of normalcy.
At this point in time, you may still be in shock, wondering how to move forward, or where to even begin. The first step is to make sure that you have hurricane damage insurance. If you had hurricane damage insurance prior to these two devastating storms, then you will be able to file based on the damage and losses incurred as a direct result of those storms. If you did not have hurricane damage insurance, then purchase a policy immediately. There may be a variety of different types of insurance policies to help cover the damages associated with hurricanes. Some of those types of policies include: flood damage, wind damage and all-risk peril policies. These policies can help you get the reimbursement necessary to cover the cost of your losses incurred.
As soon as the storm passes, and it is safe to return to your structure you must begin to document the losses incurred. Start with taking pictures and videos to document all of your items that have suffered some form of damage. Document mild damage to total devastation damage, so that everything from personal property to structural residential property can be reported. The insurance company will send an insurance adjuster to evaluate the damaged items and provide you with an estimate. Please remember that the insurance adjuster is an employee of the insurance company, and they are not acting in your best interest. The insurance adjuster wishes to settle the claim for the smallest cost possible. Therefore, it is in your best interest to contact a independent adjuster to provide you with an independent estimation of the losses incurred directly from the storm. Provide this estimate to the insurance company. If the insurance company denies the claim, or has underestimated the loss contact us here at Coffey McPharlin so that we can fight the insurance company for the settlement you deserve to replace your losses.
There may be policy limits, exclusions or policy deductibles. It is important to understand your insurance policy. If you are unsure of your policy benefits, contact your insurance agent and request a full copy of your policy benefits so that you will be better equipped to provide information regarding your losses to your insurance company. Remember the insurance company is not going to act in your best interest; therefore, it is imperative to consult with Coffey McPharlin so that we can help you through this devastating time to get your life back and rebuild your home. We will walk you through each step of the process to get you back to normal as soon as possible.
