Floridians have become very familiar with Hurricane season and how to prepare before a storm hits. Unfortunately Tropical storms, Hurricanes and Tornados bring devastation and have no mercy on buildings and property in its path.  In recent years many Florida property owners have experienced the overwhelming effects brought by sever storms. These effects have left property owners feeling helpless and alone. The lack of know-how on how to deal with insurance companies can be stressful enough for most after a storm, so what can you do about it.

       Most people are unaware of Public Adjusters and how they can help after any type of covered property damage. Did you know a pipe break, flood, fire, sinkhole, business interruption, theft, hurricane, tornado, lighting strike and much more are most often covered by insurance, the trick is understanding how is it covered, when is it covered, and how you get paid for everything that is covered. We all know insurance is a must have for everyone, but it will not guaranty the insurance company will pay if a loss occurs.

       It has been our experience insurance companies pay pennies on the dollar for claims just to save money, lots of money and it is your money not theirs. So what can you do? Well you can get ready for battle with one of the most financially backed industries in the world and do your best to jump through all the hoops your insurance company says you have to. Now lets ask our selves do we have the experience, knowledge and resources to fight such a strong industry or should I enlist the help of a processional Public Adjusting Firm.

       It has been our experience most people such as Insurance adjusters, insurance agents and even attorneys call on our services when dealing with their own insurance claims. This is mainly due to the fact these people know what’s in store if they try to go at it alone. Did you know, you have many obligations to fulfill as the insured and failing to do these may result in your claim being denied. We see this far too often with very competent people such as yourself. It’s not personal it is just how insurance companies do business and how they save money.

      In recent storms material costs have skyrocketed up 200+%. Insurance companies use computer based software that estimates material and labor costs in a given area. In many cases these “price guides” are months and sometimes years behind on getting accurate construction costs for insurance restoration repair work. We continually meet with contractors to make sure you get the amount of money you will need for your repairs on a given project.

      During Catastrophic events such as Hurricanes Many insurers employ hundreds of out of state adjusters known as Catastrophe Adjusters also known as Cat Adjusters, which are 3^rd party administrators for your claim. These out of State adjusters are more often than not unaware of local building codes and construction prices (which soar after a storm due to supply and demand). Public Adjusters are experts in their field and due to the nature of the work generally have a much smaller work load during a catastrophe than a company adjuster. This allows your Public Adjuster to spend 4-6 times more effort on your claim than the insurance company’s representatives. This can speed up the full reimbursement timeframe of the claim while adding extreme value and merit to your loss. Public Adjusters can take more time to view your property and find the damage from a storm and not have to worry about getting on to the “next one” as many insurance company adjusters are required to do.

       Storms pose many problems for property owners. After the initial aftermath of a large storm property owners are required to protect their property from further damage under most insurance policies. This would include boarding up broken windows and placing a tarp over roof leaks. Policies generally require that you maintain any receipts for temporary repairs to property as these are generally reimbursable expenses. The problems begin with trying to locate these materials after a storm. If you are not properly prepared, this can be near impossible. Try and document all attempts to protect the property if you are unsuccessful in obtaining what is needed. This may help if the insurance company tries to make a coverage defense later on in your claim.