Tampa Property Damage Insurance Lawyer
You buy insurance to protect your property, and it’s especially important here in storm-laden Tampa at the heart of “sinkhole alley.” The high potential for property damage means you end up paying high premiums to be insured. You resign yourself to paying the high costs of insurance because it’s so important to protect your valuable residential or commercial property, but that only makes it more heartbreaking and frustrating when you have a claim and the insurance company won’t pay; when they deny coverage, dispute your claim, delay its processing, or offer a lowball settlement amount. The Ruel Law Firm is here to help you get your property damage claim paid – in full and in as timely a manner as possible. Our lead attorney is a former insurance defense lawyer who now helps homeowners and business owners in Tampa with their residential and commercial insurance property damage claims. Expect knowledgeable advice and skilled representation in the resolution of good faith coverage disputes or the litigation of bad faith denials and unreasonable behavior from your insurer. Contact our experienced Tampa property damage insurance lawyer today.
Types of Claims Our Tampa Property Damage Insurance Lawyer Handles
- Hurricane/Wind Damage can destroy or damage roofs, cause flooding from water intrusion, and inflict severe structural damage. Tampa has over a one in ten chance of getting hit by a hurricane in any given year, and because of its geography and other factors, the bay area is more vulnerable than other parts of Florida to less intense hurricanes, including severe water intrusion and flooding from Category 1 and 2 storms.
- Plumbing Pipe-Appliance Leaks/Water Damage, including flooding, mold and destroyed property. Insurance policy water clauses try to disclaim or exclude many types of water intrusion claims; as an experienced former insurance defense attorney, Michael Ruel knows what your policy says and what it can and can’t do when it comes to water damage claims.
- Collapsing structures caused by sinkholes
- Hail and Tornado damage to roofs, outdoor structures and property, or destroyed property
- Lightning and Fire damage resulting in burned or destroyed property or smoke damage
- Commercial Property/Business Interruption losses when the business must cease operations due to property damage
- HOA/Condo Association Claims
- Insurance Bad Faith/Unlawful Claims Handling Practices. A covenant of good faith and fair dealing is implied in every insurance contract. If your insurer is acting unreasonably when it comes to processing your claim, or if their delay or denial can be traced to an improper motive (such as avoiding payment of a valid claim), we’ll hold them liable for the full amount they owe plus any damage their bad faith practices cause.
Common Reasons Insurance Companies Deny Property Damage Claims in Tampa
- Claiming the damage is not covered under the policy or is specifically excluded in a water clause or other exclusion
- Alleging the policyholder failed to provide timely notice of the claim and proof of loss or failed to timely file a claim
- Claiming the policyholder failed to provide requested proof of loss documentation (while making excessive, unreasonable and interminable demands for receipts, photos, invoices, etc.)
- Alleging an incomplete or missing home inventory checklist
- Saying the policyholder failed to mitigate damage
- Disputing the cause of the damage
- Disputing the value or amount of the damage or loss
How the Ruel Law Firm Can Help With Your Tampa Property Damage Insurance Claim
Our experienced Tampa insurance lawyer is seasoned in the art of property damage insurance claims and knows how to handle claims on your behalf. We’ll analyze the facts surrounding the damage in light of the terms of your policy and Florida law. We can help you gather evidence and assist with meeting notice requirements and filing your claim correctly. Our office will negotiate the repair or replacement of your property along with compensation for damages such as temporary living expenses or lost business income. In the event the insurer engages in bad faith practices or if a reasonable settlement cannot be reached, we’ll file a civil lawsuit and litigate your case as needed, including going to trial if necessary, as we have done countless times over 15 years in practice.
The Ruel Law Firm helps with all types of residential insurance policies, including:
- Owner-occupied policies (HO-1, HO-2 or HO-3 policies)
- Condominium unit owner policies (HO-6 policies)
- Renter’s insurance policies (HO-4 policies)
- Modified coverage policies (HO-8 policies), which provide less coverage than certain owner-occupied policies but may be the only option
- Dwelling form coverage when certain properties do not qualify for homeowners’ insurance
- Mobile home policies
Residential policies typically cover the dwelling and any attached structure, such as a garage, as well as some unattached structures, such as detached garages, and the value of personal property contents inside covered structures. Count on the Ruel Law Firm to understand the scope of coverage under your policy and make sure you are treated fairly and receive the full amount of policy benefits due to you.
Contact the Ruel Law Firm Today
Property damage can impact the habitability of your home or cause a costly loss of income to your business. If the insurance company disputes the cause or amount of damage or denies your claim, or creates an unreasonable delay in investigation or claim processing, the Ruel Law Firm can help. Our team is ready to settle your claim through discussions with the insurer, mediation, arbitration, or litigation, including courtroom trials as necessary. Contact our experienced Tampa insurance property damage claims lawyer today.
