Irma was the most severe storm to hit the United States since Katrina in 2005. The damages were catastrophic across the Southeast, and as a result, there have been many insurance claims filed in order to recoup money for the recovery costs such as rebuilding, home restoration, and more. Filing a claim after your home has been damaged in a hurricane can be complicated, and in order to be certain that you are filing for everything that you are eligible for requires the help of someone who has dealt with hurricane insurance claims before, and who understands the legal processes that go into them.
1-800-Injured will connect you with an aggressive attorney in our network who will be able to help you make sure that you are submitting a claim that gets you the money that you need and deserve. Read more below to learn about the claims process for recovering compensation from Hurricane Irma damages, and contact us now to be connected with an experienced attorney who will be able to help you through every step of the claims process.
How Does a Hurricane Insurance Claim Work?
After your home is damaged in a hurricane, the most important thing to do is to get your claim filed as soon as possible. While you are beginning to work on submitting the claim, make certain that you document as much as possible about the damages that you will be attempting to collect compensation for. This includes pictures of the damage, as well as invoices or estimates from contractors who will be working on any of the repairs that you need to have done.
It is important that you are sure that all of the statements and correspondences that you have with your insurance company are honest, and that you take good notes and document your interactions to keep track of each step that you have taken so far.
Working With a Hurricane Claims Attorney
In order to make sure that you are getting the best possible offer from your insurance company to compensate for the damage to your home and property, working with an experienced attorney will be a big help. They have been through this process before, and have a keen eye for what to be looking out for to make sure that you get all of the money that you need. Your insurance company is a very helpful resource, and they will work to get a comprehensive idea of what has happened to your property, but they will not voluntarily give you every dollar that you deserve without some negotiation.
When you are working with an attorney, they will be able to handle all of your communications, leverage their professional network for second opinions, and will ultimately ensure that you are maximizing your chances of the best possible outcome. Every claims process is different, so it is important to understand that an attorney does not guarantee any outcome, but will increase your chances of a good claim process.
How Long Do I Have To File My Hurricane Irma Claim?
Hurricane Irma made landfall on the Florida Keys on September 10th, 2017, and traveled through Florida until it completely dissipated on September 13th, 2017. Florida law allows for a three-year window in order to file your claim, meaning that you have until, at the latest, September 13th, 2020 to officially file your Hurricane Irma claim. It is never recommended that anyone waits until near the end of the time limit in order to submit a claim, because the insurance company may question the damages that you are claiming because it is unclear whether or not they were a result of Irma (or the hurricane that you are claiming the damages from).
Reopening Your Hurricane Irma Claim
If you have already filed a claim, you are one of over 600,000 individuals or companies who have completed a claim. As of November 14th, 2018, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation had received and paid almost 525,000 of these claims. Even if you have already had your claims paid, you may be able to reopen your claim if you have discovered additional damages or financial impacts that have resulted from Irma.
If you are planning to reopen your claim, it will be in your best interest to work with an attorney. The more time that has passed since the initial damages and the storm, the more complicated your claims process will be. Insurance companies are very thorough when they are calculating the amount of money to pay for the damages that are included in a claim, and when someone returns to reopen the claim in order to request more money, the process will require much more questioning and documentation.
Dealing With Delayed Payments
Many people have run into issues with seeking out payments and having many delays with getting their final checks. If you are feeling helpless and frustrated with trying to get the money that you need for your claim and damages, you may want to consider working with an attorney as soon as possible. An experienced hurricane claims lawyer will be able to put pressure on your insurance company and speed the process up.
Contact 1-800-Injured Today To Be Connected With a Hurricane Claims Attorney in Florida
1-800-Injured is a referral network of trusted attorneys who are ready to take your case today. If you want to be sure that you are maximizing your chances to get the money that you need and deserve for your insurance claim after Hurricane Irma, then working with a hurricane lawyer will significantly increase your likelihood of success. Instead of worrying about how to find the right attorney for your situation, let the team at 1-800-Injured connect you to one of our trusted lawyers as soon as possible.
Call us now to get started on the path towards a completed, approved, and paid claim for your Hurricane Irma damages, whether you are submitting your initial claim, are trying to expedite your delayed payments, or you need to reopen a hurricane claim because of additional damages.