There are tens of thousands of insurance claims filed in Florida every year due to natural disasters like Hurricane Ian, fires, floods, and other damaging storms.
Many homeowners are unaware that flood damage may not be included in their policy, and it can be devastating when the worst happens, and you are not covered.
Why Would Heritage Property and Casualty Insurance Deny Your Claim?
Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance is responsible for many different types of insurance coverage plans, including wind, water, and those that cover natural disasters.
Even though they offer a wide variety of coverage options, the specific damage to your home may not be covered.
For example, standard homeowners insurance policies by Heritage Insurance do not cover flood damage. If your damage is caused by water coming from the ground upward, your claim will likely be denied.
Other reasons your Hurricane Ian insurance claim might be denied include the following:
- Your deductible has not been met.
- The damage is not within the boundaries of your insurance policy.
- You may need to provide more evidence.
- You may be behind on your premium.
- It has been determined there was improper mitigation.
- You filed your paperwork after the deadline, or it was incomplete.
- You may have an open dispute over liability or fault.
Policyholders should be aware that it is illegal for insurance companies to deny your damage claim without a valid reason; doing so can lead to a dispute.
If you believe Heritage Ins. Co. has wrongfully denied your claim, the lawyers of Florin |Roebig are ready to review your case at no cost.
How Insurance Companies Have Been Impacted By Hurricane Ian
In September of 2022, Hurricane Ian made landfall in Cuba, Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Hurricane Ian brought devastating amounts of damage to the state of Florida, with many personal and business properties becoming uninhabitable.
Heritage Insurance Holdings, Inc., which includes Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Company, estimates they will lose about $40 million to Hurricane Ian.
The total cost of Hurricane Ian to the insurance industry in Florida is expected to reach over $63 billion.
Due to the massive amount of damage, insurance companies in Florida became overwhelmed, and many started to grossly underpay or wrongfully deny valid insurance claims. If you believe this is happening to you, contact the insurance lawyers of Florin|Roebig today.
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Learn Your Rights as a Florida Home or Property Owner
Due to the rise of unscrupulous and sometimes fraudulent acts by insurance companies, the Florida state legislature passed the Homeowner’s Bill of Rights.
This outlines the rights that homeowners have, including the right to get a third-party opinion from a public adjuster.
If you have concerns about your insurance company, you can contact the Florida Division of Consumer Services (FDCS), which is a branch of the larger Department of Financial Services. The FDCS is responsible for handling all complaints against insurance carriers.
Once you have filed your complaint against your insurance company, Florida law gives your insurance company 20 days to respond to the complaint.
If you are trying to navigate this process on your own, consider hiring the insurance attorneys of Florin|Roebig for help; we have one over $1 billion in case awards to date.
What to Do if Your Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Company Hurricane Damage Claim Is Denied
It can be very frustrating to have your insurance claim denied when you need it to repair or replace the damage caused by Hurricane Ian. If you believe your claim was denied wrongfully, you have options. Do not let your insurance company bully you into accepting their decision.
1. Ask for a Review of Your Insurance Claim
When your insurance claim is first denied, they will send you an official letter of denial. If your insurance claim was denied, you can request a formal claim review. They will then assign an insurance agent to your case, who will more than likely contact you for more information.
If time is a critical component of your insurance claim, your insurance company is required by law to speed up the claims process.
2. Request an HHS External Review
If you have requested a claim review from your insurance provider and it has been denied, you can file a complaint with the Florida Department of Health and Human Services. You can contact them at (800) 866-6205, and they will send you a form to complete.
There is a time limit for this step due to the Florida statutes that state policyholders have 60 days from the date on the letter of denial to request an external review. Missing this deadline could mean your claim remains denied.
3. File an Insurance Lawsuit Against Heritage Property & Casualty
Your insurance company is required, by law, to make a good-faith attempt to settle your insurance claim. However, when insurance companies become overwhelmed by the number of claims being filed, they sometimes wrongfully deny or grossly underpay claims.
If you believe that your home insurance claim is being wrongfully denied or has been drastically underpaid, contact the dedicated insurance attorneys at Florin|Roebig. They may suggest that you file a bad-faith lawsuit.
This course of action could mean the appellate court grants the appellant a reversal of their denied claim and extra compensation as a punishment to the insurance company.
What to Do if Heritage Property and Casualty Insurance Underpays Your Claim
One of the most frustrating things that can happen to a policyholder is to go through the difficult claims process only to be given a settlement amount that is well below what you need. If this has happened to you, you have steps to take to hopefully reverse the low payment.
1. Ask Your Insurance Adjuster for a Second Review
The first thing you should do is contact the field adjuster that your insurance company assigned to your case. Requesting a second review may require you to complete paperwork for an official review. You may also need to provide extra proof of wind, water, or roof damage.
Even if your insurance provider decides to give your insurance claim a second look, it does not necessarily mean that your underpayment will be reversed. You should be prepared to escalate your complaint in case this happens.
2. Contact the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation
In the event that your insurance carrier refuses to give your insurance claim a second review, you can file a complaint with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation by calling (877) 693-5236. They will look into your complaint and determine if it is a valid complaint.
If they decide that your complaint is valid, they will try to mediate the situation with your insurance company. If their efforts to settle your claims case are unsuccessful, they may recommend that you seek legal advice from an insurance claims attorney.
3. Call a Florida Insurance Claims Attorney
If the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has recommended that you seek the advice of an insurance attorney, contact the experienced claims attorneys of Florin|Roebig. They will evaluate your claims case during a free consultation and inform you of your options.
They may advise that you go after your insurance provider for bad faith breach of contract or insurance fraud in the event that your claim was wrongfully denied or underpaid. If your case has escalated to this point, it is usually decided by a summary judgment from the court.
Benefits of Hiring a Florida Insurance Claims Attorney
Dealing with Hurricane Ian’s damage and trying to navigate the claims process can be a nightmare. It is often a frustrating and challenging time for Florida homeowners, but hiring a dedicated claims attorney can be very beneficial for those navigating their insurance claims.
Some of the benefits of hiring an insurance claims attorney include the following:
- Insurance attorneys know the ins and outs of insurance law in Florida.
- A claims attorney has the ability to see other cases against your insurance provider.
- They know the critical deadlines involved in filing claims.
- Many insurance attorneys work on a contingency fee basis.
- Insurance lawyers have lots of experience dealing with insurance companies.
If you feel that your insurance company has wrongfully denied your claim or your claim was underpaid, contact the Law Offices of Florin|Roebig for a free consultation today.
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Find Help Property Damage Insurance Claim Denial or Closure in Florida
If you or a loved one have personal property or business property in Florida that was damaged by Hurricane Ian, you may be feeling overwhelmed with the work that needs to be done. If you are also dealing with a wrongfully denied or underpaid claim, you may not know what to do next.
For almost four decades, Florin|Roebig attorneys have fought for insurance claims that have been grossly underpaid or denied without a valid reason.
To date, they have won $1 billion in awards for their clients. If you need an attorney who will fight for you, call Florin|Roebig today.
