Wade Coye, Insurance Attorney
Central Florida is no stranger to wild weather. As Summer approaches, many residents are preparing themselves for what seems like daily afternoon thunderstorms. And before we know it, hurricane season will be here.
Even the most weathered Floridian may be rattled by severe storms, like the ones our area experienced last week. Severe thunderstorms rolled through central Florida and left a wake of downed powerlines, uprooted trees, and damaged property in it’s path. Local news channel WFTV notes on it’s website that the area was put under tornados watches and warnings for multiple days. This isn’t anything new to our climate, but that fact doesn’t make things any easier when storms cause damage to your home.
Tornadoes can shock homeowners or property owners in places that the weather phenomenon wouldn’t be expected, such as upstate New York. My family owns and operates a dairy farm in Georgetown, where a massive storm hit a few years ago. In the video below, a local news station interviews my father on the impact the storm’s damage had on him.
You can imagine what this type of damage does to a business’s bottom line. Property owners protect themselves from the costs of this type of damage by buying insurance for their home or place of business. But simply filing a claim doesn’t guarantee benefits to repair that torn roof, flooded basement, or broken pipe.
Damage to your home can cost a lot of money, which is why some insurance companies decide to diminish or deny the value of your claim. Depending on the terms of your policy, you may be covered for damage done to your home, shed, detached garage, or personal property within the home. Additionally, your policy may include payments for loss of use of the home, such as having to stay in a hotel while repairs are completed. The costs add up quickly.
An insurance dispute can become complicated easily, so it is important to thoroughly understand your policy and keep a copy of it handy in case of an emergency. If your claim is being denied in part or as a whole, a Florida storm damage attorney can help you sort through the details. Having to repair your home’s storm damage can be a financially and emotionally draining experience, but you don’t have to go through it alone.