The northeast corridor, including Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, is no stranger to the destructive nature of hurricane season. Each year at least one massive storm makes landfall along the northeast coast, leaving a path of destruction behind. Repairing the damage from high winds, rain, and storm surge involve filing insurance claims. Faced with thousands of claims at a time, many insurance companies attempt to shirk their responsibility by denying or only partially paying out claims. If an insurance company refuses to pay for the repair of your property, PALUMBO LAW will fight for your just compensation.
Hurricane Season is Upon Us
The Atlantic Ocean hurricane season runs from June to November and peaks between August and September. During this six-month period, the northern Atlantic states are most likely to see hurricanes, tropical storms, and tropical depressions make landfall. Brought about by tropical cyclones feeding off of warm ocean waters, hurricanes cause damage to coastal areas from high winds, high waves, and rising tides. Flooding is also common, brought on by storm surges and massive amounts of rain dumped on coastal areas.
Damage caused by hurricanes and tropical storms results in expensive repairs for property owners. Although most property owners maintain insurance policies to protect their property, the business of insurance companies is to make as much money as possible while paying out as few claims as possible. If you have a legitimate claim for damage caused by a hurricane or other storm, PALUMBO LAW’s experienced attorneys can help you hold your insurance company accountable for what they are required to pay.
Why Was My Hurricane Damage Insurance Claim Denied?
The concept of property insurance is simple. You pay a premium and if your property is damaged, you submit a claim seeking payment for repairs. In most cases, insurance providers deny claims under exclusions provided in the insurance policy. Exclusions are like trap doors that insurance providers rely on to escape payment when they feel the damage is not covered by an insurance policy. However, because hurricane damage is common in coastal areas, most insurance policies have additional coverage for flooding and wind damage.
Even if your policy includes coverage for flooding and wind damage, insurance companies may still try to get out of paying your claim. Hurricane damage impacts almost all of an insurance provider’s customers in an affected area and paying all those claims seriously impacts the bottom line. If you believe an insurance provider wrongfully denied your storm damage claim, an experienced attorney can help hold the insurance company accountable for responsibilities under the insurance policy.
Depending on your insurance policy, you may be responsible for a deductible, or a portion of the repairs before the insurance company is required to make payment. Many insurance policies include deductibles of between $1,000 and $10,000 that must first be paid by the property owner before the insurance provider must make a payment. When repairs exceed the amount of the deductible, the insurance provider is required to make payment. Although you may be responsible for a portion of repairs, an insurance provider must pay any qualifying claims that exceed the deductible amount.
How Can PALUMBO LAW Help with a Hurricane Damage Insurance Claim?
When you purchase homeowners or property insurance, you form a contract with the insurance company. The insurance policy contains a number of terms and conditions that spell out the responsibilities of both the property owner and the insurance provider. If you file a claim that meets the conditions of the insurance policy and the insurance provider denies payment, you have legal rights against the insurance provider.
PALUMBO LAW understands hurricane damage seriously upends your life. You may not be able to live in your home or there may be serious damages restricting the use of your house and belongings. In this stressful time, you need someone on your side to assert your legal rights against an insurance provider. Our goal is to make sure you are put back in the position you were in before the storm, which means making sure you receive all the money you need to rebuild or repair property damaged by wind and water
The attorneys at PALUMBO LAW know the ins and outs of the insurance game and are experienced in negotiating with insurance providers to get you paid. If a provider is unwilling to negotiate or pay you what you are owed under the policy, our attorneys can and will file a lawsuit to force the insurance provider to the table. From there, we can negotiate a settlement or take cases to trial, all to ensure you get what you are owed.
Why Should I Hire an Attorney
Hiring an attorney and pursuing a legal claim is a serious matter. When an insurance provider knows it is on the hook for a claim, the provider will often make a lowball settlement offer to resolve the claim. It may be tempting to accept the first offer and be done with the whole mess. However, accepting an insurance settlement without fully assessing your damages can result in the loss of your legal rights. For instance, if you later discover the insurance check does not cover the full cost of the repairs, you are usually unable to get any more money from the insurance provider to cover that claim.
Even if the insurance provider agrees the claim is covered under the policy, it is essential to speak with a knowledgeable attorney about your rights in the matter. An attorney will make sure you are aware of all damages and include them in your claim to the insurance provider. Furthermore, an experienced attorney can evaluate any settlement offers and can advise whether the settlement will return you to the position you were in before the storm.
Contact a Hurricane Damage Attorney in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts
If you experience damage from a hurricane in Rhode Island, Connecticut, or Massachusetts, and need assistance in getting paid by your property insurance provider, reach out to PALUMBO LAW today. Our experienced insurance attorneys will keep insurance providers honest and make sure you get what you are owed.
