Something like only 9% of all claimants pursue a lawsuit. Thus, insurance companies know most clients will not get a lawyer if they deny the claim. The most common claim denied is for constant or repeated water seepage, or wear and tear, age, and deterioration. Insurance companies might say, “Your damaged roof is just old. There was no storm and thus no storm damage. We inspected and didn’t find any wind damage.”

You need to understand the wear-and-tear provision placed in insurance policies. They make sense in the case of having carpet or tile throughout your house that people walk over for a period of years. Thus, an insurance company would not cover worn carpet or scratched and cracked flooring tile. Insurance companies use the same wear-and-tear policy to deny wind damage on roofs.

When seeking a lawyer due to a denial based on the wear-and-tear provision, the question is how much is the insurance company willing to pay? While some insurance companies do the right thing and pay the homeowner what they are owed, often they don’t. Sometimes roofs cannot be repaired; they have to be replaced. The general homeowner in Florida doesn’t know about the estate protections or the various rules that insurance companies have to follow when adjusting such a claim.

If your claim is more complicated, calling a lawyer to get involved from the beginning is common.

While we often work with policyholders from the beginning, a lot of times insurance companies do the right thing without lawyers becoming involved. It’s best to let the insurance company do the right thing, adjust the claim. If after the adjustment is made and you, the policyholder, are not happy, then give us a call. We are happy to help.

For more information on First Party Insurance Claims in Florida, an initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (407) 915-5447 today.