Evacuation orders were issued for Hillsborough residents in Zones A and B and anyone in mobile homes or RVs. Many who chose to stay in their homes later required rescuing, as Hillsborough County accounted for 700 out of 1000 water rescues. Fish Hawk and surrounding areas had wind damage, rain damage, and flood damage from Hurricane Milton’s fury.
Returning home for many residents and business owners in Fish Hawk means finding little to nothing remains, and the insurance claims are pouring into local coverage providers. Many representatives will deal with the flood of damage paperwork by denying valid claims. Others will use legitimate practices but still misinterpret policy guidelines.
“Whatever the case may be for you and your loved ones, know that Florin|Roebig’s legal team is available. Our representatives can talk to you anytime, and we don’t charge anything to evaluate your storm damage claims case. When you’re struggling to recover from Hurricane Milton and struggling to get through to an insurance adjuster, let us take some of the worry off your hands and handle your claims process,” says attorney Hal S. Weitzenfeld.
What Are Your Options If Your Home Is Affected by Hurricane Milton?
Hurricane Milton, so close on the heels of Hurricane Helene, did not spare those who live and work in Fish Hawk. If this applies to you or your loved ones, make sure to stick to the following checklist as you recover.
Document Everything
Keep receipts for repairs and equipment needed to make your home livable. Use your phone or a camera to capture multiple angles in good lighting for any type of damage. Write down what you observe around your property.
Review Your Homeowner’s Policy
Many claims mistakes can be avoided by reading through your insurance policies before filing with your insurance company. The terms outlined in the policy description are binding but often loosely worded to provide loopholes for denying claims.
Contact Your Insurer
You want to get your Hurricane Milton damage claim started quickly. Gather your supporting evidence as soon as possible and fill out any required paperwork. Make sure each claim is filed under the most appropriate policy, taking any flood or wind damage riders into account.
Patch What You Can
Exposed rooms, torn siding, and visible wiring are some of the things that will need temporary protection, provided the majority of your property is salvageable. Any repairs need to walk a fine line between protecting your items without completely hiding the damage from inspectors and adjusters.
Get Damage Assessed
Find a reputable contractor through online research, and have your property assessed. Trusting a friend of a friend may not be in your best interest at this time, as too many take advantage of those who’ve fallen on hard times. Having an outside estimate gives you a baseline for what numbers your insurance company should get back to you with. If they’re super low compared to what your third-party estimate shows, be prepared to contest it and call Florin|Roebig for more help.
Get Government Assistance
County, state, and federal assistance is available for Fish Hawk and other Hillsborough County citizens. You can check in at local stations, call, or visit their websites to learn more about what you’re eligible to receive and how it might help you recover.
When you need additional assistance and can’t get it from your insurance company, contact Florin|Roebig. The damage from Hurricane Milton may have taken much from you, but winning your storm damage claims against your insurance provider can give you the means to rebuild and move forward into a new chapter.
What Damages Can A Hurricane Like Milton Cause?
Category 3 hurricanes like Milton are devastating. While Florida has been hit repeatedly by major storms, the combination of Hurricane Helene on September 26, 2024, and Hurricane Milton on October 9, 2024, has been a one-two doozy for the Sunshine State. As one of the areas heavily affected by both, Fish Hawk is slowly tackling recovery efforts after the destruction.
Wind Damage
High winds like those brought by Milton (and preceded by at least 38 tornadoes) flatten trees, powerlines, and buildings. The level of damage wrought requires a careful approach to restore power safely.
Water Damage And Flooding
Rainfall well over a foot and water overflowing from the Alafia River and the Hillsborough River took days to withdraw. A lack of proper planning and management by local authorities led to undesirable consequences for residents who avoided most of Milton’s path.
Structural Damage
The combination of flooding and compromised power lines means that business owners and residents had to wait days to return to properties they left for safer ground. In that time, foundations and walls may have soaked up moisture, developing heavy mold growth and weakening structural integrity.
Personal Property Damage
Winds well over 100 mph carried possessions away from their origins, and flooding rains did the same. Homeowners’ policies, renters insurance, and some riders may cover the value of lost belongings.
Landscaping And Exterior Property Damage
Those who’ve invested time and money into their exterior elements may have lost it all during Hurricane Milton. Make sure to document even smaller items, as these can be eligible for certain damage claims. Any detached buildings may also be covered, but check your specific policy.
Secondary Issues
As buildings are ruined by time and exposure, Hurricane Milton damage claims add up for the owners. It’s one of the many reasons that it’s so important to document storm damage as soon as possible. You can use those timestamped pictures to prove that conditions like mold, pests, and rot developed following delayed payouts and repairs.
Don’t let your insurance company deny your rightful payout on hurricane damage claims. Educate yourself about your policy terms and coverage, and call in the professional legal representatives at Florin|Roebig when you’ve had enough of lowball settlement offers.
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How Did Hurricane Milton Affect Fish Hawk?
Helene and Milton hammered the Tampa Bay area, which includes the unincorporated Fish Hawk. Unexpected flooding took out 700 out of 900 lifts meant to manage floodwaters, leading to sewage backup in an unprecedented number of homes. A state of emergency was issued for Hillsborough County on October 6, 2024, and officials extended it into November due to the damage sustained from Hurricane Milton.
The majority of water rescues occurred in Hillsborough County, where Fish Hawk is located. The Alafia and Hillsborough Rivers affect the area, and it’s one of two counties responsible for 40% of the tomatoes grown in the state, meaning production will be down and prices will be up for November and December crops.
Strong-force winds and massive flooding destroyed hundreds of properties in moments and displaced thousands of Floridians. Those who were eventually able to return home had to wait days to be let in and many still lacked power. Though the Category 3 hurricane was downgraded and Fish Hawk wasn’t in its direct path, Hurricane Milton still forced evacuations before and after its arrival.
Florin|Roebig hurricane damage lawyer Hal S.Weitzenfeld explains, “As you’re able to collect what you have left and begin the path to replacing what you’ve lost, know that you aren’t alone. There are many bad characters out there, but there are also plenty who want to help. Florin|Roebig has been helping Hillsborough County residents like those in Fish Hawk for 30+ years, and we want to ensure our neighbors like you are taken care of. We’ll stay on top of insurance companies denying legitimate claims and get you the compensation you deserve.”
What to Do if Your Insurance Claim Is Denied After a Hurricane
A denial letter from your insurance company is not the final act in the hurricane damage claims process. Instead, consider it a sign to direct your next steps in appealing the decision. Request a detailed explanation letter on receipt of their refusal to understand what may have gone wrong and how to fight it.
Your Hurricane Milton damage claims may be denied because you lack:
- Sufficient evidence. This is why getting as many pictures, receipts, and other documentation matters. You have to prove the hurricane caused the damage, and visual evidence is some of the strongest you can provide.
- Eligible property or damage. Your policy may have a separate rider for flood damage, for example. Or your wind damage may fall under windstorm coverage instead of your homeowner’s insurance. Read each set of policy terms to ensure your damage is covered before submitting claims paperwork.
- Clear cause of damage. Even though you know the hurricane took your siding, you still have to prove it to your insurance company. If they can argue that something else is responsible other than events covered by your policy, they’ll hit that deny button fast.
If your insurance provider is stalling or outright denying your insurance claims, you can seek assistance through many avenues. One of the best options is working with a qualified attorney with years of experience dealing with insurers who act in bad faith. Florin|Roebig is a leading Florida hurricane damage law firm, and we’re happy to put our expertise at your disposal.
How Can a Hurricane Damage Lawyer Help?
By taking on the ins and outs of your insurance claim for hurricane damage, an attorney versed in these matters can ease your hurdles. We’ll put our Fish Hawk claims team to work filling in any blanks in the documentation and challenging unfair denials to get you a reasonable settlement as outlined in the policy you’be paid into for years.
Our Florin|Roebig legal team can help with:
- Getting evidence, by bringing in experts to validate your claims and gathering additional pictures, videos, and written assessments of the damage.
- Communicating with your insurers rather than leaving you to sort through confusing jargon and representatives who will trick you into accepting unfair terms. We won’t fall for these tactics.
- Litigating in court when insurance providers refuse to meet our demands and offer a fair settlement for eligible claims.
We’re one of the top law firms in Florida for a reason — our clients and our peers agree on this. We can provide testimonials from satisfied clients and a list of our numerous awards from legal reviewers at the highest levels. Working with Florin|Roebig means you become part of our family with access to the best Florida legal minds and our client-first approach.
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How to Get Help from Florin|Roebig Attorneys
Getting help from Florin|Roebig attorneys is simple. We’ve put multiple contact options in place. You can choose the one that works best for you. Contact Florin|Roebig to take the next steps on your Hurricane Milton storm damage claim and seek fair compensation from your insurance company.
You can reach us through these methods, using our website contact page:
- Fill out our online form anytime, and we’ll get back to you.
- Call the phone number for your area 24/7.
- Use our chat feature day or night.
After all, you aren’t making an unreasonable request. You’re asking them to honor the contract they’ve signed with you in exchange for the financial support you’ve provided in insurance payments. Florin|Roebig will hold them to their side of the deal.
