Tornado – a whirlwind of lessons
Posted on April 18th, 2012
A tornado with 130 mile an hour winds touched down in South Florida leaving a path of destruction in its wake. When nearly 136 homes were severely damaged homeowners emerged from the experience with some valuable lessons. Some who came close to dying now have a new lease on life. Others realized the profound respect Mother Nature demands and to always take precautions if you are aware that severe weather is headed your way. However the most fundamental lesson of all was how difficult it is to go through the recovery process and how important it is to hire a Public Insurance Adjuster to help you get through it.
Here’s sample video of a Florida tornado caught on tape in 2003.
In an article titled “What a Tornado in Sunrise/Plantation taught its Victims” Sun Sentinel Reporter Mike Clary spoke with several of the survivors, including electrical engineer Chet Lampert. When the interviewer asked Lampert what was the most important lesson of the storm was he responded. “Hire a Public Insurance Adjuster right away to deal with the insurance company. The insurance company has been by far the worst part. The tornado was no big deal because we were just out our stuff and no one got hurt. The biggest thing is dealing with insurance and knowing the right way to handle insurance companies”.
Check out the full interview in this video…
Lessons learned after Tornado
Don’t wait until disaster strikes to hire a Public Insurance Adjuster, contact one today to ensure that your homeowners’ insurance policy is the right one for you and your property. A Public Insurance Adjuster will help you understand the ins and outs of your insurance policy. If you ever do need to file a claim they will guide you through the process and battle it out with insurance companies to make sure it’s settled as quickly and as fairly as possible.
To read more of the Sun Sentinel Article…
What a Tornado in Sunrise/Plantation taught its Victims
Tags: Tornado Damage
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Pay Attention & Maximize your Claim
Posted on April 16th, 2012
When dealing with your insurance company it’s important to be aware of what needs to be done and the time frame in which it must be achieved. Not paying attention to specific deadlines can lead to unfortunate consequences.
One case that many attorneys and public insurance adjusters are talking about is the case of Cagle v. State Farm. Mr. and Ms. Cagle suffered property damage due to a fire and filed a claim with their insurance company. Their policy required them to submit inventory forms for loss on personal property as well as their proof of loss in order settle their claim. The couple waited almost a year to submit the paper work. Shortly thereafter they filed a bad faith lawsuit and a letter demanding payment. The insurance company paid the policy limits, however the court sided with the insurance company due to the fact they had filed the demand for payment the same day as the lawsuit. According to insurance laws the demand for payment must be made at least 60 days before a suit is filed. If they had waited the 60 days they would not only have received their payment, but they would have had the opportunity to secure additional funds in bad faith penalties and attorney fees.
Don’t let the hourglass run out on your insurance claim…
When you sign the dotted line on that homeowner’s insurance policy, remember that you are going into a partnership with your insurance company. As with any partnership each has a specific role and obligations that they must fulfill to make it successful. The responsibility of the insured is to understand and work within the policy’s guidelines and procedures in order to enable the insurance company to fulfill their responsibilities. To put it simply help them, help you. That’s why it’s a good idea to hire a public insurance adjuster. They can help you navigate though your insurance policy’s procedures. They will ensure that you are aware of the time frames that need to be adhered to and that you know what proper documents need to be submitted to get the most of out of your claim. It’s essential to most insurance claims that time be on your side. We have a team of professionals that are experienced in the insurance claim process in Florida, as well as several other locations. We are here to guide you through the process. It’s best to start early and have a public adjuster renew your residential or commercial policy.
Tags: cagle v state farm, deadlines
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Do you have Citizens Insurance?
Posted on March 22nd, 2012
If you own a home in Florida or any other hurricane prone state, homeowners insurance is necessary. One of the primary factors in determining how much insurance you will need is assessing the replacement value of your home. Replacement value is how much money it would take to repair, replace or rebuild your home with materials similar to the kind and quality used in constructing your home. The higher the replacement value of your home, the higher your home insurance premiums will be. This concept is something that most homeowners can understand.
What if your insurance company determines that the replacement value of your home is much higher than it actually is?
According to Tolu Olorunnipa of the Miami Herald, Citizens Insurance did exactly that, forcing over a million Florida Taxpayers to pay extremely high premiums that some could barely afford. In order to estimate home replacement costs Citizens replaced real estate appraisers and independent general contractors with a computer program called 360Value. Shortly thereafter they received a number of complaints from home owners stating that their insurance premiums had increased dramatically due to their homes being overvalued by the software. Citizens Insurance is now facing a class-action lawsuit.
Here’s a great Youtube video that will give you more details about this class-action lawsuit. If you have any questions about your Citizens policy, contact our office so we can guide you in the right direction.
Dealing with insurance companies is tricky business and that’s why it’s essential to hire a public insurance adjuster. Policy holders need an advocate to help guide them through the many variables of home insurance, such as an accurate replacement value assessment specific to a property. Stellar Public Adjusting Services is a company that uses a team of professionals to carefully evaluate each case individually. They offer various tools, such as a customized web-based portal so that policy holders can check on their claims throughout the entire process. The support of a public insurance adjuster in South Florida will help you to understand your insurance needs, make sure that you are getting the best rates and provide you with a better understanding of your policy.
Tags: citizens homeowners insurance policy, class action lawsuit, florida public adjusters
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You were Denied, now What?
Posted on February 21st, 2012
Unfortunately, we hear this story too often – My claim got denied!
Do you know the steps you need to take when you get a claim denied?
We found this Youtube video that shows an example of extensive property damage and the response from the insurance company. We did not make this video, and cannot certify the authenticity of the facts; however, it clearly demonstrates a point that a professional Public Adjuster can be very helpful in reponding to denials of insurance claims and going at it alone is a tough battle.
If you made a claim on your homeowners insurance and it has been denied, don’t give up. The following are a list of things for you to do, in order to keep your claim active and possibly reverse the decision.
1. Don’t take NO as the final decision – You stand a good chance of winning if you fight back. A very small percentage of claimants inquire about the decision when it is denied. However, a high percentage of the ones that fight back get positive results.
2. Make sure you get it in writing – Get a written explanation of the reasons for rejecting the claim. It is a legal requirement in the State of Florida to have a written explanation of why they are denying your claim.
3. Call a Public Adjuster – A Public Adjuster can assist you in fighting your denial. They will check your policy and look for anything that does not add up. Checking your policy against the reason for denial can help with your appeal.
A Public Adjuster will also check for claim processing errors. For instance, if you filed your claim form incorrectly, an insurance company may hold it against you and refuse to pay. A Public Adjuster will help you correct these errors and resubmit your claim.
When you hire a Public Adjuster, many times they may increase the amount you will receive from your claim. They charge a small percentage of the claim recovery and do not get paid unless you get paid.
A Public Adjuster is an expert who works exclusively for you the policyholder. So it is in your best interest to contact a public adjuster at Stellar Public Adjusting to discuss your claim. Less than 10% of people who have their claim denied inquire about a rejected claim.
Over 50% of the ones that do inquire and hire Stellar Public Adjusting get favorable results.
Did you receive a denial from your homeowner’s insurance company? Call Stellar Public Adjusting at 305-396-9110.
Tags: denial, denial letter, insurance claim
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