Tens of thousands of property damage claims are filed by Floridian businesses and homeowners every year due to windstorms, hailstorms, hurricanes, and other tropical storms. With so many insurance claims being filed every year, the insurance industry can get overwhelmed.
When an insurance company’s resources are strained, it may begin to act in bad faith. One way they do this is by issuing a portion of the claims payment, then quickly closing the case.
Why Would Tower Hill Insurance Deny Your Claim?
Tower Hill Insurance Group offers multiple types of policies that cover varying degrees of damage. One of the important types of policies they offer is private flood insurance.
Many homeowners feel assured that if the worst happens, they will have insurance coverage, but that is not always the case.
Reasons why Tower Hill Insurance may deny your property damage claim include the following:
- You may be behind on your premium payments.
- The cost of your damage may not have covered the amount of your deductible.
- Your paperwork may be incomplete or late.
- There may not be adequate proof of damage.
- The damage may not be within the bounds of your insurance policy.
- There may have been improper mitigation where possible.
- You might have an open dispute over fault or liability.
Policyholders should know that it is illegal for insurance companies to deny a valid claim without cause. If your insurance company does wrongfully deny your claim, this can lead to a dispute or legal action.
About Insurance Companies & Damage From Hurricane Milton
Hurricane Milton made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast on October 9, 2024, as a Category 3 storm with winds of 120 mph, storm surges of up to 13 feet, and over 18 inches of rain. Originally a Category 5 storm, Milton weakened to Category 3 before reaching the Siesta Key area and further diminished to Category 1 as it crossed the state. This powerful storm caused at least 24 fatalities and left 3.4 million residents without power.
Arriving just two weeks after Hurricane Helene hit Florida as a Category 4 storm on September 26, Milton worsened the devastation for Floridians in the early recovery stages. Many wind and water damage claims poured in for insurance companies all over Florida. Damage caused by Milton impacted both residential and business properties. The following weeks saw thousands of homeowners insurance claims and property damage claims filed, overwhelming the already strained Florida insurance industry. Insurance companies began to issue meager payouts, or they denied valid claims.
A Newsweek report, citing data from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (FLOIR), revealed that home insurers in Florida have denied tens of thousands of claims for damages from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. As of October 25, 19,068 out of 57,415 residential claims related to Hurricane Helene were closed without payment. Similarly, as of October 28, 27,834 out of 202,989 claims for Hurricane Milton damages were also closed without payment. In both cases, denied claims exceeded those closed with payment.
Our Featured Case Results
Learn Your Rights as a Florida Home or Property Owner
Due to the escalating bad faith and fraudulent acts by insurance companies in recent years, the Florida state legislature passed a series of laws to protect homeowners.
These laws have collectively become known as the Homeowner’s Bill of Rights, and they outline certain protections.
The Department of Financial Services has a branch called the Florida Division of Consumer Services. This department is responsible for handling complaints filed against insurance companies. Once you file a complaint, your insurance company has 20 days to respond.
If you believe Tower Hill Insurance Group is acting fraudulently, contact the law offices of Florin|Roebig to speak with an experienced insurance claims attorney.
What to Do if Your Tower Hill Insurance Company Hurricane Damage Claim Is Denied
If your home or business sustained damage from Hurricane Milton’s landfall, you are probably stressed by all that has to be done to make your home or business accessible again.
When Tower Hill Insurance denies your property damage claim without a valid reason, you still have options.
1. Ask for an Insurance Claim Review
Your first course of action should be to contact your insurance provider and request an insurance claim review.
You will probably be passed from the insurance representative to an agent who may require additional information. Be prepared to offer more proof of damage.
If your insurance claim happens to be time-sensitive, the state of Florida requires insurance carriers to expedite the claim’s process. This is helpful if you need the payout for living expenses.
2. Request an External Review with HHS
The insurance company may deny your request for a claim review, or review it and fail to reverse their decision. When this happens, you can escalate your complaint.
To do this, you need to contact The Department of Health and Human Services at (800) 866-6205 and request a formal review.
Policyholders in Florida should be aware that there is a time limit for requesting an external review. You have 60 days from the date on the official letter of denial to request a review; missing the deadline could result in a denial.
3. File a Bad-Faith Insurance Lawsuit
It is law in Florida that insurance companies make every possible attempt at paying out insurance claims filed by their policyholders.
However, when insurance companies get overwhelmed with claims, they often turn to bad-faith tactics.
One of these tactics is wrongfully denying your property damage claim without a valid reason. If this happens, you need to contact the dedicated insurance trial court lawyers of Florin|Roebig.
If they believe your insurance company has wronged you, they may suggest going after them for a bad-faith breach of contract.
What to Do if Tower Hill Insurance Underpays Your Claim
If you have filed a homeowners insurance claim with Tower Hill Insurance, that is accepted but the claim payment is much less than the estimate, you still have options.
However, it may be a little more challenging to get the low payment reversed. Florin|Roebig can help you with your case.
1. Reach Out to Your Insurance Adjuster for a Second Review
When you first file a claim, your insurance company will dispatch an insurance claims adjuster to your home or business in order to examine the damage in person. They may have made errors in their calculations, so you should ask the adjuster for a second review.
If they do decide to give your wind or water damage claim a second look, it does not automatically mean they will reverse their low payment.
You should be prepared to escalate your complaint if they do not reverse their decision or do not grant a second review at all.
2. Contact the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation
If your request for a second review has been denied or has not yielded the proper compensation, you can take your complaint to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. You will need your claim number and proof of damage and a third-party public adjuster’s estimate.
You can call the helpline phone number (877) 693-5236 for the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.
They will review your claims case and determine if it is valid. If it is, they will try to mediate the desired outcome. They may suggest you seek legal advice if their mediation process does not work.
3. Call a Florida Insurance Claims Attorney
If the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has determined your case cannot be settled without legal intervention, you should contact the experienced insurance attorneys of Florin|Roebig. They will give your case a free evaluation and explain to you your legal options.
Your insurance attorney may advise you to go after your insurance company for breach of contract if they are not paying you what your homeowner’s insurance policy states they will.
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
Attorneys can offer a number of advantages during the claims process when a natural disaster or other event occurs.
If you have been navigating an insurance dispute on your own, you may be frustrated and overwhelmed. Hiring a claims attorney can alleviate your stress.
More benefits of hiring a Florida insurance claims attorney include the following:
- Insurance attorneys have had lots of experience with the claims process.
- They can see the number of complaints filed against your insurance company.
- Insurance lawyers understand Florida property insurance laws.
- They know when critical filing deadlines are.
- Insurance attorneys generally work on a contingency-fee basis.
- They value the attorney-client relationship.
If you have been trying to navigate the claims process on your own and you believe your insurance company is acting illegally, contact the Florin|Roebig law offices today.
We Are Nationally Awarded Lawyers
Find Help for a Denied or Underpaid Property Damage Insurance Claim in Florida
If you or a family member are dealing with your insurance company underpaying or denying your claim, you need an insurance claims attorney. Florin|Roebig insurance claims attorneys have trial court experience and are ready to fight for your property claim.
Florin|Roebig attorneys have decades of experience in fighting for our client’s underpaid or denied insurance claims. We have been highly successful in gaining fair compensation for our clients, with over $1 billion in awards to date.
If you believe your insurance company is wrongfully denying or underpaying your Hurricane Milton claim, contact Florin|Roebig today to learn more about our services or to schedule your free consultation.
- Fill out our online form anytime, and we’ll get back to you promptly.
- Call the phone number for your area 24/7.
- Use our online chat feature day or night.
