Hurricane Season Tips and Recommendations

We want to provide you with some guidance in case you need to file an insurance claim as we come upon another Florida Hurricane Season. As you are aware, June 1 marks the beginning of hurricane season here in Florida and you may already be preparing for any pending storms. As part of the community and the LDT family, we recommend taking the following steps to ensure the protection of your property and to avoid your insurance carrier underpaying your claim on what you are entitled to:

Whether you may be a homeowner or renting a space, in the event of a storm which may affect our area:

Review Your Policy:

• It is important to make sure your policy provides the coverage you need to protect your property, some key areas are the declaration’s page, Section I Coverages, Section 1 Exclusions, and Duties After Loss. It is best to contact your agent to ensure you have the appropriate coverage. For example, most standard homeowner insurance policies do not provide for damages to screen enclosures without an additional hurricane rider.

Document Your Property:

• Prior to any weather event, take pictures/video of the: roof, gutters, exterior walls, lanai, pool enclosure, pool, existing cracks or paint chips, windows, screens, doors, light fixtures, fans, etc. in case of any damage to the exterior caused by wind or debris.
• Prior to any weather event, take photos/video of the interior of your property making sure to take pictures of ceilings in each room (including closets), wall space around and below windows, windowsills, flooring, and the garage.
• If you are able to take photos of your attic space, especially the underside of the plywood decking, sometimes water intrusion may not occur for several days or weeks after damage occurs and being able to take note of the roof condition prior to the existence of damages can go along way when making a claim.
• Make an inventory of and photograph any personal property that may be damaged should any water find its way into your home.
  • NOTE: not every item needs to be documented, but for items such as large appliances, pots and pans, dinnerware sets, silverware sets, antiques, couches, beds, nightstands, dressers, TVs, entertainment systems, tables and chairs, end tables, wall décor/art, vacuums, etc. which may be more costly to replace than say a toothbrush and some smaller items, having records of those items can be claimed against your insurance carrier should there be any water that finds its way into your home. (if you know the brand or model number of certain items it is also

Protect your Property:

• Test your hurricane shutters to ensure they operate properly;
  • In the event you will be boarding up windows and sliding doors, make sure you have all necessary boards and hardware to secure areas where boards will be installed;
• Move inside or tie down any loose patio furniture;
• Cover any interior items with plastic coverings;
• Cut down any dead trees or limbs which may cause damage to your home;
• Unplug any electronics not connected to a surge protector

Useful Items to Keep on Hand (or in case of evacuation):

• Canned/non-perishable/dry food with long shelf life;
• Clean drinking water;
• Flashlights;
• Batteries;
• Portable chargers;
• Necessary prescriptions;
• A basic first aid kit;
• Cash in small bills;
• Contact information for your insurance provider/agent in case you need to report a claim;
• Personal hygiene items;
• Important papers and identifications kept in a Ziploc bag. (passports, birth certificates, marriage license, drivers licenses, etc.);

After any Storm:

• File your claim as soon as you have any indication of damage;
• Take photos/video of the damaged portions of your property;
• Refer to the “Duties After Loss” section of your policy to determine what you are required to do to satisfy your conditions under the Policy;
• Cooperate fully with the requests of your insurance provider;
• Keep a journal/diary to keep record of who you speak to regarding your claim and the nature of the call;
• Take necessary steps to prevent further damage to your property;
  • Tarping,
  • Mitigation services,
  • Dry-out services,
  • Debris removal,

Beware of Signing Any Documents With Door-to-Door Salespersons Offering Roofing/Contractor Services.

Out of state contractors tend to flock to affected areas after a hurricane offering services at above average rates due to the belief that it will not fall on you but your insurance company. It is usually best to find your own contractor who you trust to do the work. Roofers can provide roof estimates, but Contractors can provide estimates for any affected area of your property. By signing a contract with the first contractor that comes to your home you limit yourself to only using their services and could be placed on waitlists which could take longer than anticipated.

You should look to obtain estimates for all areas of your property which sustained damages to submit to your insurer for evaluation.

Alternatives to obtaining individual estimates is to hire a public adjuster who may be able to assist you with your claim. If you hire a public adjuster within the first year of the hurricane event, their fee will be 10% of the damages they assist you in recovering. If you contract with a public adjuster after the first year it increases up to 20%. The downsides to hiring a public adjuster, other than the fee, is that you will still need to hire contractors to make any needed repairs for that amount as they will not typically be licensed to conduct the necessary repairs. Also, if the public adjuster does not settle your claim, and you choose to seek legal representation, your public adjuster will still collect a fee on top of the fee your legal counsel will obtain.

Your insurer will have 90 days from the day you make the claim to make an initial coverage determination to either extend or deny coverage. Should the insurer deny your claim or fail to provide sufficient coverage to your damaged property you can negotiate with your insurance company by submitting additional photos and estimates for their review.

Should your insurance carrier still not provide the necessary coverage for your claim you should seek further legal advice.

Lusk, Drasites & Tolisano will be providing free consultations for potential cases between you and your insurance company. Should you have any questions regarding your claim, please do not hesitate to contact our office to speak with one of our attorneys.