Any type of damage to one’s property, whether it be to their personal residential property or to their business, it can be devastating and quite expensive to rebuild those lost assets.  With insurance, the home owner or business owner has a false sense of security because some insurance companies will deny these claims when the homeowner/business owner reports the damages.  It is important to remember that the insurance company is a business and they wish to pay as little as possible or completely deny your claim.  Therefore, it is imperative to understand that you have to be in charge of what is in the best interest of your property and seek advice from Coffey McPharlin so that we can fight for the money that you deserve.  

Water damage is the second leading cause of insurance claims in today’s society.  Water can come from a variety of places.  The most common causes of water damage includes:  leaky roof, pipe bursting or external factors.  As an home owner or business owner, it is essential that you be completely educated and aware of what your insurance policy states will be covered if there is water damage.  These insurance policies will cover some claims associated with certain types of water damage; while other types of water damage will not be covered.  Therefore, being educated and understanding the associated risks will help you to determine which policy or what add-on policies might be necessary to protect your property.

Water damage and flood damage will be distinctively different within most insurance policies.  Water damage is caused by water that causes damage to the property prior to coming in contact with the ground.  One example of this would be a leaky roof.  The leaky roof would cause water to enter the home/business and damage items in the home before making contact with the ground.  Water damage caused by a flood is defined as water that comes into contact with the ground before it causes damage to the property.  If this is the case, then the damage is a result of a flood and there will be a specific policy that will cover flood damage.  Some states will require that a flood policy be purchased, because of the increased risk of flooding that is present.  This is not required by all states, and therefore, should be discussed prior to purchasing an insurance plan to determine if this is an appropriate need.

When water damage occurs, it is essential that you document the loss by taking pictures and videos of the property.  Document thoroughly so that you may provide this information to the insurance company.  The insurance company will send an adjuster to evaluate the damage.  The insurance adjuster works for the insurance company so they will have the insurances best interest in mind.  Therefore, it is imperative in order to protect your property that you have an independent adjuster evaluate the damage caused by the water and provide you with an estimate that you can provide to the insurance company.  If the insurance company will not provide you with a settlement to recover your losses or they completely devalue your property, contact Coffey McPharlin so that we can recover the losses associated with this water damage that the insurance company owes you.  We will work hard to get you the settlement you deserve to rebuild your property.