Florida Property Insurance Claim Case Study

 A public adjuster represents the policyholder during the property insurance claim process.

This is different from the adjuster assigned by your insurance carrier. The carrier's adjuster works on behalf of the insurance company. A public adjuster is retained to represent the interests of the policyholder.

Depending on the circumstances of a roof claim, our work may include reviewing available policy and claim information, documenting visible property damage, reviewing insurance estimates, identifying items that may require further consideration, organizing supporting documentation, and communicating with the carrier regarding the claim.

The objective is straightforward: present a thoroughly documented and accurately prepared property claim based on the damage and applicable policy.

 Florida roofs are exposed to severe weather throughout the year. Some roof damage is obvious immediately after a storm, while other problems may require a more detailed evaluation.

Property insurance claims may involve damage associated with:

Strong winds can affect shingles, tiles, flashing and other roofing components. Wind-driven rain can also contribute to water intrusion when a building envelope has been damaged.

Hurricanes can combine extreme wind and rain, potentially affecting roofing systems, exterior components and the interior of a property.

Hail can affect certain roofing materials and exterior components. Proper documentation of the observed conditions is important when presenting a hail-related property claim.

Roof-related losses may extend beyond the roofing system. Water intrusion can potentially affect ceilings, walls, insulation, flooring and other interior materials.

Florida thunderstorms can produce combinations of wind, rain, lightning, falling debris and hail. A property claim should consider the relevant damage associated with the reported loss rather than focusing solely on one visible area.

 Good documentation can be an important part of a property insurance claim.

Depending on the circumstances, relevant documentation may include photographs and video of visible damage, the approximate date and circumstances of the loss, damaged roofing or exterior components, interior water damage, estimates, invoices, inspection information, insurance-company correspondence, claim documents and other records related to the loss.

Homeowners should preserve relevant records and avoid discarding important documentation associated with their claim.

If emergency measures are necessary to protect the property from additional damage, retain photographs and records associated with that work.

 This is one of the situations in which a public adjuster may be able to assist.

An insurance estimate and a contractor's proposed scope of repairs are not always identical. Differences can arise regarding measurements, quantities, affected areas, materials or the scope of observed damage.

If you believe your roof insurance claim may have been underpaid, the claim can be reviewed to determine whether additional documentation or information should be presented.

Receiving an initial insurance payment does not necessarily mean you should ignore legitimate questions about the scope of the claim.

Every claim, policy and loss is different, and no particular outcome can be guaranteed.

 An underpaid roof claim occurs when a policyholder believes the insurance carrier's evaluation or payment does not adequately account for covered damage associated with the loss.

Potential areas of disagreement may involve the scope of damage, roof measurements, repair quantities, interior damage, materials or other claim-related items.

Roof Claim Adjusting can review available claim documentation and help determine whether there are issues that warrant further attention.

If appropriate, additional documentation can then be prepared and presented through the insurance claim process.