Homeowner Insurance Claims

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overview

The Basics of Homeowners Insurance

Homeowners insurance is a contract between you and an insurance company that protects your home and property. Homeowners policies mostly cover your home in case of a loss, such as a hurricane, fire, robbery, or any other type of disaster. Since most homeowners cannot immediately repair their homes or replace its contents, they’re willing to pay a monthly premium for years to assure they’ll be safe. Some homeowners carry an additional policy to add liability coverage, which protects them in the event that someone is injured on their property.

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hurricane ida and other natural disasters or hazards

Special Considerations for Louisiana Residents

As many local residents were vividly reminded in August of 2021, extreme weather poses an ever-present threat here. Hurricane Ida was a widespread and exceptionally severe event, and many individuals were overwhelmed by the stress of the situation and the complexities of negotiating with their homeowners insurance company. To make matters worse, many companies impose special restrictions on hurricane-related damage for homeowners living in coastal areas, which can make filing a claim and securing funds for necessary repairs even more difficult than usual.

You invest a great deal into your homeowners policy so that your home will be protected in just such a disaster, and this is precisely when you should be able to depend on that coverage to ease your burden. Unfortunately, many Tangipahoa Parish residents felt that their insurance companies put more effort into avoiding responsibility after Hurricane Ida than into helping with recovery. This is not an acceptable outcome, and the team at Anderson Traylor Edwards will fight for you to receive the protection you expect and deserve as a victim of a natural disaster.

what kind of policy do you need?

Types of Homeowners Coverage

Basic Form

This insurance covers your house, as well as property like belongings, furniture, or floor coverings from damage caused by fire, lightning, hail, vandalism or malicious mischief, theft, damage from vehicles and aircraft, explosion, riot or civil commotion, and glass breakage. While basic form policies typically also cover wind damage, many companies will exclude wind damage incurred during a hurricane for residents living near coastal areas.

Broad Form

These policies cover everything included in basic form insurance, but adds protection for damage related to building collapse, broken pipes, falling objects, weight of snow or ice, or ruptured hot water heating systems. Heating and air conditioning systems and home appliances can also be insured under broad form policies.

Special Form

This is labeled as protection against “all risks” because, unlike basic and broad form policies, the policy only lists the few perils that are not covered. That means unless there was damage to your home or property from a peril that your policy specifically excluded, then your losses will be covered. However, special form policies generally exclude major hazards like floods and earthquakes, so homeowners need to be aware of those limitations.

where and how to get started

What Steps Do I Need to Take After a Loss?

1.Report any crime and get a copy of the police report. Losses due to theft, burglary, or vandalism must be documented by the proper authorities as soon as possible.

2.Document your damage thoroughly as soon as it is safe to do so. Cover the damaged areas if you need to, but don’t start any repairs until after you have gotten lots of pictures and video.

3.Do as much as you are able to protect your property from further damage. Make temporary repairs as needed, but if possible, do not throw out anything that is damaged until an adjuster visits.

4.Call your insurance agent as soon as you can. Make sure to ask your agent about your coverage details, your deductible, and how long you have to file your claim. If you are filing a claim after a disaster such as Hurricane Ida, insurance companies often send representatives to centralized locations to help policyholders start the claims process, so look to your local emergency management directors for any such announcements.

5.Arrange for an adjuster to visit and inspect your home. An adjuster will interview you and inspect the property on behalf of your insurance company to determine how much they should pay for the loss.

6.Make a list of any missing or damaged items. Write down anything that was lost or destroyed, along with each item’s estimated value or receipt, and then make at least one copy of your list for your claims adjuster to keep.

7.Keep your receipts. If you buy any supplies to use in making repairs or covering damaged areas, or if your home is so damaged that you need to find another place to stay, keep receipts and records of all these expenses in case you can be reimbursed.

8.Seek legal help if you cannot get assistance through the usual channels. If your company denies your claim or offers you inadequate compensation, call on experienced attorneys like the team at Anderson Traylor Edwards to advocate for you.

the help you need to get back home safely

What Do I Do If My Claim is Denied?

If your homeowners insurance company has denied your claim and you have contacted your agent and other representatives for help, then it's time to reach out for specialized legal advice. We have tremendous experience and success in representing our clients against insurance companies who are only looking out for their corporate interests rather than delivering the protection that you paid them to provide. Save your energy for other aspects of your recovery and let us fight the insurance company on your behalf to secure the funds you need to rebuild your home and your life.

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Let Us Shelter You from the Storm

When a homeowners insurance company denies your claim after a disaster or loss, you deserve strong, experienced legal representation to get the compensation you need to start rebuilding. Contact Anderson Traylor Edwards in Hammond for a no-cost, no-obligation consultation today.

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