Many residents of Florida with homeowners insurance believe they are covered if a flood occurs. This is especially the case because most homeowners insurance in Florida covers hurricanes. This means it covers damage due to flooding from a hurricane, right? The answer is, “Probably not.”
In order to protect your assets in the event of a flood, you’ll need flood insurance. But what’s the difference? And how do hurricanes factor into coverage?
What is the Difference Between Homeowners and Flood Insurance?
Homeowners insurance covers many things. Often, this includes:
- Structural damage
- Damage to property
- Fire damage
- Water damage (not from flooding)
- Theft
- Hurricane damage (especially in Florida)
What it doesn’t generally cover is damage due to flooding. For this, you’ll need insurance specifically to cover flood damage. Even if you have hurricane coverage, this will generally only cover wind damage.
During a storm or disaster, if water from RAIN is coming into your home or business and causing water damage this may NOT be considered flood damage. Do not report this water damage to your insurance as “flood” damage. Please contact our office for questions pertaining to this subject, as this damage could be covered under your home owners insurance policy.
If you live in an area that is prone to flooding or you would simply like the additional security that comes with flood insurance, it’s a good idea to add this additional level of coverage.
What Do I Do After a Flood?
If you have flood insurance and there has been a recent flood that has damaged your property, there are some steps you’ll want to take. These include:
- Document the damage. As soon as the threat has passed, document the damage that was caused. This includes creating a list, taking photos, and even shooting video.
- Contact your insurance provider quickly. Don’t wait around to reach out to your insurance company—jump on it quickly, as it can take time to process the claim.
- Prevent further damage. If you have broken windows or anything else that can lead to further damage, take care of it immediately.
- Follow up with your insurance provider. If you haven’t heard back from your insurance provider in a few days after you’ve filed, reach out. The entire process will likely take a few weeks but, if it seems like there isn’t any progress, feel free to contact your insurance provider again and check in.
Contact Colucci Law Group if Your Insurance Company Denies Your Claim
It’s your insurance company’s responsibility to pay your claim. If your claim falls within the parameters of your insurance plan, you created a proper inventory and documented everything, and you filed your claim within the appropriate window, you are owed your settlement. With that said, some insurance companies try to get around paying policyholders and deny legitimate claims. If this has happened to you, reach out to Colucci Law Group.
We are experts in providing clients with legal support to combat bad faith claim denials, and we will provide you with an experienced property insurance lawyer to represent you in a suit against your insurance provider. Colucci Law Group is also able to file your claim for you and defend your rights, so you get the settlement that you deserve.
For more information about our property insurance legal services, reach out today. We’d be happy to help you to file your claim or represent you in a lawsuit against your insurance provider.
If you suspect that you are the victim of a bad faith insurance claim denial, we can help. The Colucci Law Group has the resources to assess the validity of your claim at no cost to you. For a free consultation, email us or call our Clearwater office at 727-733-9438. You may also call our Fort Myers office at 239-378-7800 .
Our team assists victims of bad faith insurance claims across the state of Florida.