The state of Florida sees many different types of weather, including tropical storms, thunderstorms, hailstorms, fire, hurricanes, and more. Tens of thousands of property insurance claims are filed in Florida by homeowners with damaged property due to these storm systems.
When insurance companies are inundated with claims, they have the tendency to begin underpaying or denying valid claims, which is illegal.
Why Would People’s Trust Insurance Deny Your Claim?
It can be very frustrating to file a property insurance claim with your insurance provider only to be told that the damage your home sustained is not under the covered repairs of your policy.
Some reasons People’s Trust Insurance may deny your claim include the following:
- Your insurance provider may require more proof of damage.
- You may have fallen behind on your premium.
- Your damage has not met your deductible.
- The damage may not be covered under your home insurance coverage.
- You may have an open dispute over liability or fault with your insurance carrier.
- You may have filed your paperwork late, or it was incomplete.
- There was improper mitigation where possible.
It is illegal for insurance companies to deny a valid claim. If your insurance company has wrongfully denied your claim, you need the dedicated lawyers of Florin|Roebig.
How Did Hurricane Ian Affect Insurance Companies in Florida?
In September 2022, Hurricane Ian arrived in South Florida and left behind billions of dollars worth of damage. People lost everything they owned in this hurricane, and many people’s homes and businesses were left uninhabitable.
In the following months, Florida homeowners and business owners filed property damage claims with their insurance companies. The insurance industry quickly became overwhelmed with the number of claims, and some companies began to act in bad faith.
Insurance companies issued underpayments or wrongfully denied claims after Hurricane Ian. This hurricane has become the costliest storm to hit Florida, with $109.5 billion in damages.
This stressed an already damaged insurance industry and caused lots of problems for homeowners.
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What Are Your Rights as a Florida Home or Property Owner?
The insurance industry of Florida has had many problems with low payouts or wrongful claim denials. Due to these ongoing issues, the state of Florida passed a series of laws to protect homeowners from fraudulent and unscrupulous insurance companies.
These laws are called The Homeowner’s Bill of Rights, which outlines what homeowners are entitled to. One of these protections is the right to seek a third-party opinion from a general contractor or public adjuster.
The Florida Department of Consumer Services is a branch of the Florida Department of Financial Services and oversees complaints against insurance companies. If you file a complaint with your insurance provider, they have 20 days to respond.
What to Do if Your People’s Trust Insurance Company Hurricane Damage Claim Is Denied
If you have filed a Hurricane Ian claim for damage caused to your personal or business property and it has been denied, you may be feeling frustrated.
However, if you believe your claim was wrongfully denied, there are steps you can take to have your denial reversed.
1. Seek an Insurance Claim Review
You will first need to contact your insurance provider and speak to your insurance agent. They may have a form you need to complete in order to request an official review.
Your agent may have more questions for you or ask for more proof of the scope of repairs that are needed.
If your claim is time-sensitive, like needing the claim payout for living expenses, your insurance carrier is required by law to expedite the claims process.
2. Contact HHS for an External Review
If your request for a claim review by your insurance company has been denied, you can take your complaint to the Florida Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
You can reach them at (800) 866-6205, where an agent will assist you with an external review request.
You will be sent an official request form that you will need to complete and return to the HHS as soon as possible. Deadlines are critical when dealing with insurance disputes.
Policyholders have 60 days from the date on the letter of denial to request an external review from the HHS.
3. File a Business or Homeowner’s Insurance Lawsuit
Insurance companies in Florida are required to make every possible effort to follow through with their insurance policies, such as considering Hurricane Ian’s damage a covered loss.
However, when insurance companies become overwhelmed, they often turn to illegal business practices.
If you believe that People’s Trust Insurance Co. has behaved fraudulently regarding your claims case, contact the Florin|Roebig insurance attorneys. We may advise that you go after your insurance company for a bad-faith breach of contract.
What to Do if People’s Trust Insurance Underpays Your Claim
If you have filed a property damage claim after Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Irma and you received a payment for much less than the amount of loss that occurred, you have options. You should be prepared to gradually escalate your dispute if necessary.
1. Get a Second Review from Your Insurance Adjuster
Your first course of action is to contact your insurance adjuster and ask them to take a second look at your insurance claim. You may need a third-party opinion from your preferred contractor for an estimate of what it will cost to return your property to its pre-loss condition.
It is possible that the insurance adjuster made mistakes during the appraisal process, which can make it more likely to have your low payout reversed.
However, even if your insurance company does grant your request, it does not mean that they will reverse their decision.
2. File a Complaint With the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation
In the unfortunate event that your request for a second review is denied or your insurance company fails to reverse its decision, you still have options.
You need to contact the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation at (877) 693-5236 and request to file an official complaint.
Once you have filed your complaint with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, they will determine if your complaint is valid.
If they decide that it is, they will attempt to mediate the claim appeal on your behalf. Should their attempt be unsuccessful, they may suggest legal counsel.
3. Find a Florida Insurance Claims Attorney
If the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation recommends you seek legal representation, contact the trial court experienced insurance attorneys of Florin|Roebig. We will examine your claims case during your free consultation and suggest your best course of action.
It can be challenging to have a low payout reversed. However, if your insurance claim has acted wrongfully, your attorney may suggest going after them for a bad-faith breach of contract. If your case makes it this far, it is usually settled by a summary judgment from the court.
Benefits of Hiring a Florida Insurance Claims Attorney
Insurance attorneys can be very beneficial when it comes to disputes with your homeowner’s insurance company. If you or a loved one are in the process of filing a dispute with your insurance provider, you need the hardworking, dedicated claims attorneys of Florin|Roebig.
Benefits of hiring a Florida insurance claims attorneys include the following:
- Florida insurance attorneys know the ins and out of Florida homeowner’s laws.
- They understand the critical filing deadlines that cannot be missed.
- They have access to prior disputes against your insurance provider.
- They value the attorney-client privilege and will fight hard for you.
- The attorneys of Florin|Roebig work on a contingency fee basis.
If you believe People’s Trust Insurance has been acting in bad faith with your home damage claim, you need the Law Offices of Florin|Roebig for your claim case.
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Get Help for a Property Damage Insurance Claim in Florida
Hurricane Ian forced many homeowners to file property insurance claims that were underpaid or wrongfully denied by their insurance provider. Florin|Roebig has worked for almost 40 years fighting for underpaid and unpaid claims from insurance companies.
Florin|Roebig attorneys have worked to win over $1 billion in awards to date for our clients.
We come highly recommended, not only by our clients but by other law firms as well. If you are in the claims process, call Florin|Roebig today to elevate your claim.
