What Happens After Water Damage To My House?
It is every homeowner’s nightmare: you step out to run a few errands and come back to find your house with an ankle-deep (or more!) layer of water. Your carpet and furniture is ruined, wood floors are in danger of becoming permanently warped, and the structural integrity of the house may be called into question. Your homeowner’s insurance policy may cover some of the damage to your house. What exactly would be covered will depend on your individual policy. For example, most homeowner’s policies do not cover damage caused by a flood (flood insurance would be necessary). If the water leak was caused by a broken pipe inside your home, your policy may cover repairs to the house after you pay your deductible but the policy may not cover repairs to the broken pipe itself. By reviewing your policy’s declarations page, a knowledgeable water loss claims attorney can provide you with personalized advice and counsel.
How To Avoid Problems With Your Water Loss Claim
Your insurer will want to settle your water loss claim for as little as possible and as quickly as possible. Sometimes this may be beneficial to you; other times, the settlement offer will be for far less than is needed to pay for repairs and losses. While no strategy for handling a water loss claim can promise to be 100% problem free, the following tips can help address some of the common problems associated with water loss claims:
Insurance companies make money by charging you a premium and then minimizing the amount that they pay when you make a legitimate claim for damages.
As soon as possible, fix the source of the water. If it is a broken pipe, call a plumber. Do what you need to do to remove the water and begin drying out the house. Failing to take remedial steps such as this may cause your insurer to believe you contributed to the extent of your loss and damage and correspondingly reduce your claim. Make a detailed list of your losses and damage. Walk through the house and make careful note of the items of personal property that have been lost and their approximate replacement value (not necessarily the purchase price). Make note of the parts of your home that are damaged. Your adjuster will need to be made aware of the extent of your loss in order to properly handle your claim. Refrain from making significant repairs. If you repair something before your insurance adjuster is able to inspect it, take pictures of the damage before you begin repairs. You want the adjuster to observe as much of the damage as possible.
Help For Water Damage Victims
The Tampa, Florida, Water Damage Attorneys at Burnett Law, P.A., stand ready to help your family recover damages caused by water. Water damage from broken pipes, faulty appliances or from storms can be devastating. If you have a dispute with your insurance company as a result of water damage, the experienced trial attorneys at Burnett Law, P.A., will fight to get you everything that you deserve. Insurance companies make money by charging you a premium and then minimizing the amount that they pay when you make a legitimate claim for damages.
Some of the ways that insurance companies minimize water claims is to underpay claims or to deny them altogether. At Burnett Law, P.A., our attorneys have extensive experience dealing with insurance companies and we will use that knowledge to make sure that you get every penny that you deserve. The attorneys at Burnett Law, P.A., routinely take insurance companies all the way to trial to make sure that our clients get everything that they are entitled to. We pride ourselves on being a well-respected and client-focused law firm. To learn more about how the Burnett Law, P.A., law firm can help you, contact us today for a free consultation.