It is the holiday season, and now that it has been several months since Hurricane Michael passed through Florida, some homeowners are starting to receive settlement checks from their insurance companies. But, while it may seem that these checks are coming at the perfect time, homeowners need to be careful to avoid resolving their claims too soon. Read More

From noteworthy court decisions to the widespread damage caused by Hurricane Michael, it has been another busy year in the world of property insurance claims and litigation. Here is a recap of 10 of our top articles from throughout the year: Read More

If you have flood insurance under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and you receive a denial of coverage, or the coverage you receive is inadequate to cover your flood-related losses, what options do you have available? Unfortunately, this is a question that many policyholders are forced to ask, as NFIP payouts often fall short of homeowners’ expectations. Read More

As an insured homeowner, if you get displaced from your home as a result of damage sustained in a hurricane, storm or other casualty event, the “additional living expense” clause in your insurance policy is designed to help cover the costs you incur as a result of relocating to temporary housing. But, insurance companies will often attempt to deny coverage or pay less than the full amount to which policyholders are entitled; and, as a result, it is important to make sure you have a clear understanding of your right to “ALE” coverage. Read More

One of the most complicated (and most frustrating) issues involved with substantial homeowner’s insurance claims is the issue of “concurrent cause.” Under standard homeowner’s insurance policy language, if two factors concurrently cause property damage and one factor is covered while the other is not, then the insurer has the right to deny coverage based upon concurrent causation. Read More

Standard homeowner’s insurance policies include a provision requiring the homeowner to “[c]ooperate . . . in the investigation, settlement or defense of any claim or suit.” If you file a claim with your insurance company following a hurricane, tropical storm or other event resulting in damage to your home, what is the scope of your “duty to cooperate”? Read More

When a homeowner and an insurance company disagree over the cost of repairs, the method for resolving their dispute will typically be specified in the “boilerplate” provisions of the homeowner’s insurance policy. Under a typical policy, the first step will be to have the damaged inspected by one or more “impartial” appraisers. Read More

According to news reports, the total losses resulting from Hurricane Michael are expected to exceed $4 billion. In fact, since this figure solely represents the cost to agriculture businesses in Florida and Georgia (and their insurance companies), the aggregate financial impact of Hurricane Michael is likely to be far more substantial. One source, the Claims Journal, has estimated the total losses from Hurricane Michael as high as $25 billion. Read More

For many Florida homeowners who suffered losses during Hurricane Michael, their ability to rebuild is heavily dependent upon their ability to secure coverage from their homeowner’s insurance and flood insurance carriers. While some homeowners may find the insurance claims process to be fairly straightforward – especially if their homes suffered fairly minor damage – others will face significant challenges and frustrations at virtually all stages of the process. Read More

If you go by news reports, just about every hurricane that forms in the Atlantic Ocean represents the next great natural disaster. Seemingly, almost every storm during the hurricane season gets sensationalized; and, when the winds die down, instead of simply communicating the facts, many media outlets look for ways to keep the news cycle churning. Read More