How Long Do I Have to File a Claim After a Hurricane in Florida?
Hurricanes are some of the most destructive forces in Florida. These horrific storms cause millions of dollars of damage to homes, commercial properties, and the environment in this usually beautiful state. If your house or other property is damaged by severe weather, you’ll need money for repairs, recovery, or complete rebuilding as soon as possible.
During the recovery process, dealing with insurance might not be at the top of your list. However, if you wait too long, you risk forfeiting your right to file a claim. That said, Florida allows a considerable length of time – three years – for residents and out-of-state property owners to file.
You Have Three Years to File a Hurricane Claim
Even the smallest hurricanes that don’t get much attention on the national news can do horrible damage to a house or other building. The wind may rip up roofs, damage landscaping, bring down trees, break windows and destroy trim and fixtures. Large amounts of rain and subsequent flooding can damage the foundation, plumbing, and yard. If you add fallen trees and debris, the recovery costs increase even more.
The most horrific hurricanes may necessitate an entire tear-down and rebuild of every part of your residential property. Filing a claim with your insurance company is necessary and appropriate, as long as you have a policy that covers hurricane damage.
The Hurricane Insurance Claim Process
No matter how much damage occurs, keep careful records of everything and take photos or even a video of the entire property. This will document your need for an appropriate insurance payout. But when faced with many insurance claims, an insurer may not want to process them all quickly.
Since you have three years to file a claim, you could wait without losing your chance to get money. However, most people want to repair their property as soon as possible. But hold off on the largest repairs or rebuilding projects until the insurance company qualifies your damage claims. This can help speed up the overall process and may prevent headaches down the road. The insurance policy money is most often used to fund those big-ticket repairs.
Damage from dangerous storms can go beyond the structure of your home and outbuildings. If your homeowner’s insurance policy covers the belongings inside the house, make a careful list of everything. Include careful descriptions, serial numbers, and photographs if possible of covered items like electronic equipment, expensive jewelry, and anything else listed in your policy.
If you suspect bad faith, a too-low settlement offer, or excessive delays from your insurer, contact a Louis Law Group attorney as soon as possible. We can help handle all the paperwork and enforcement of policy terms so you can focus on getting back to your enjoyable Florida lifestyle as soon as possible. Contact a lawyer from Louis Law by filling out our Contact Us form or calling (954) 676-4179 today.
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