Flood Damage

Get Help From a Florida Flood Damage Insurance Claims Attorney

If you are facing an insurance claim in which water has caused the damage, your claim almost automatically becomes difficult, drawn-out, and ripe for disputes with your insurance company. Your best bet is to contact the Florida flood damage insurance claims attorney at STRUBLE, P.A., so that any issues can be handled preemptively and quickly.

How to Understand Your Flood Insurance Claim in Florida

In the insurance world, not all water damage is the same. Insurance companies divide “water” into roughly two categories based on the source of the water: (1) water from flooding or severe rainstorms (we’ll call this “flood water”), which is typically not covered, and (2) water from mechanical failures, like burst pipes, which is generally covered. The Florida flood damage insurance claims lawyers at STRUBLE, P.A. can help explain this complex issue for you.

In Florida, standard homeowners’ insurance policies don’t protect you from flood water damage. You must purchase a separate policy to obtain flood coverage. Purchasing flood water insurance under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was the only option for Florida homeowners up until 2014. At that time, changes in the law opened up flood insurance to the private market so that Floridians could shop for competitive options for flood water insurance coverage. However, as a result, homeowners often struggle to secure flood insurance coverage from their insurers. Some types of common issues, including those in bad faith, include:

• The insurance company denies a flood water damage claim in the face of all necessary evidence required to prove the policyholder’s right to coverage.
• The insurance company misrepresents or outright lies about the terms of coverage, accuses the policyholder of failing to mitigate the damage caused, ignores damaging facts, or engages in other bad faith practices.
• The insurance company denies coverage by claiming that the damage resulted from excluded damage rather than covered causes of damage.
• The insurance company fails to conduct a timely investigation, causing additional loss and unnecessary delays.
• The insurance company fails to timely process individual claims due to being overwhelmed with flood water damage claims following a hurricane or other major storm.

The Florida flood damage insurance claims attorneys at STRUBLE, P.A. can help regardless of the specific issue at hand. We have decades of experience working with insurance companies and can put firepower behind your property damage claim to ensure it’s taken seriously and paid fairly. 

Causes of Flood Damage in Florida

In Florida, flood and water damage are commonly thought to be the result of hurricanes. However, many factors can lead to flood damage. Some of these include:

• Irresponsible actions on neighboring properties
• Roof leaks
• Tidal flooding
• Broken pipes
• Inadequate drainage systems
• Obstructed waterways

Often, several different factors combine to increase the severity of flood damage.

Do I Really Need Flood Insurance?

According to Florida Flood Insurance there are currently more than 2.1 million flood insurance policies in force in Florida, which means approximately 13% of the state’s households are covered by flood insurance. 

Some areas that are in a high-risk flooding zone are required to carry flood insurance, but if this doesn’t apply to you, you may want to consider adding flood insurance to your homeowner’s policy. Nearly two-thirds of all National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)-required policies nationwide are in Florida. The Sunshine State remains at high risk for flooding in general. 

Between 2000 and 2019, there were 81 hurricanes and tropical storms across Florida. Bad weather is a given, and a dedicated flood policy ensures you are covered for any damages resulting from a storm.

Contact The Florida Flood Damage Insurance Claims Attorneys at STRUBLE, P.A

If you’ve filed a flood damage claim, or if your claim was recently denied, contact the Florida flood damage insurance claims attorneys at STRUBLE, P.A. to learn about your options. We can help if you’re unsure whether your claim is even covered and can also help after a denial by evaluating your claim for appeal. There is no risk in calling to learn about the options available to you. Contact our award-winning legal team online, email us at info@claimappeals.com, or call us at 321-283-5888.