Floods can happen anywhere, however, some areas are more prone to flooding than others because of their proximity to natural bodies of water and high levels of yearly rainfall. Floods can cause severe damage to your property and unfortunately, most standard homeowners insurance policies do not include coverage for flood damage. Property owners seeking to protect against flood damage can get coverage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The NFIP is delivered to the public through a network of participating insurance companies.
If your property is damaged in a flood, your losses may include damage to your property and its contents such as furniture, artwork, and other personal belongings. When the flood recedes, you will need money to pick up the pieces of what remains of your property and a flood damage insurance claim attorney can help ease the claims process for you.
The flood damage insurance claim attorneys at the Kagan Law Firm can help you.
- Kagan Law Firm has experience fighting insurance companies and helping our clients enforce the terms of their insurance policies to maximize their recoveries
- We understand the complexities around flood damage recoveries and can help you understand your legal options
- We will help you recover compensation for your losses while you focus on returning your property to normalcy
If you need a qualified flood damage insurance claim attorney to help you recover compensation for your losses from a flood, the attorneys of Kagan Law Firm can help. We will handle the legal side of things so that you can focus on keeping your family safe. To find out how the Kagan Law Firm can represent you in your flood damage insurance claim, contact us to schedule a free consultation. Call us today at (954) 300-1068.
Common Causes of Flooding in Florida
There are many reasons that a community may flood. Location and proximity to bodies of water, large amounts of rainfall over a short period of time, poor drainage systems, and flood retention system failures. In Florida, the main causes of floods are hurricanes, tropical storms, and excessive rainfall.
Hurricanes and tropical storms
No other state in the U.S. gets hit with more storms than Florida. Hurricane season in Florida lasts for six months, from June 1 to November 30 every year. When a hurricane makes landfall it is usually accompanied by extreme winds, storm surges, thunderstorms, and flooding. Every hurricane season can potentially cause millions of dollars in damage to properties across the state. The extent of the damage often depends on the category of the hurricane. Hurricanes are categorized on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale on a 1 to 5 rating based on wind speed. Category 1 and 2 storms are lower-level storms, which nevertheless are associated with dangerous winds and have the potential to cause property damage. Category 3 to 5 hurricanes are considered major hurricanes and can result in significant loss of life and property damage.
Excess Rainfall
Excess rainfall is another common cause of flooding in Florida. Florida receives an average of 54 inches of rainfall a year compared with the national average of 30 inches. The rainy season in Florida runs from May through October every year. Some areas like Tallahassee, Miami, and Pensacola average more inches of rain than the state average.
Recovering Compensation for Florida Flood Damage
Weather-related flood damage is not typically covered by standard homeowners insurance policies. While your homeowner’s insurance will cover water damage from sudden accidental flooding in your home caused by a burst pipe, for example, standard policies will limit the instances of flooding that will be covered. Flood insurance is widely available in Florida. Rates vary according to flood zones and will depend on the location of the property. Floridians have a choice of getting flood insurance through private flood insurance companies or through agents of FEMA’s NFIP. Either way, how you can recover compensation for your flood damage will depend on the provisions of your policy.
The first step in recovering compensation for your Florida flood damage is understanding the provisions of your insurance policy and having the proper documentation to support your claim.
What Does Flood Insurance Cover?
Understanding what your flood insurance covers is very important. Making a claim for flood damage can get complicated because there are some flood events that will be covered by your homeowner’s insurance and others that will only be covered by your flood insurance. Being able to differentiate between the two is important to avoid unnecessary delays in the claims process.
Not all water damage is covered by flood damage. Flood insurance will only cover losses directly caused by flooding. For the insurance to consider it flooding there must be an excess of water on land that is normally dry and affects two or more properties, or two or more acres of land. An experienced Florida flood damage insurance claim attorney will have the resources to investigate damage to your property and determine if it was directly caused by flooding.
Depending on your policy, your flood insurance policy may protect your building and the contents of the building. Coverage of the building may cover damages such as foundation walls, staircases, electrical and plumbing systems, and furnaces. Contents coverage may cover damages to personal belongings, furniture, and valuable items such as original artwork. Your flood insurance policy may also provide for remediation and treatment of mold caused by a flood.
How a Florida Flood Damage Insurance Claim Attorney Can Help You
If you have suffered damages as a result of a flood and you have flood insurance, our Florida flood damage insurance claim attorneys can help you file a claim with your insurance company. The insurance companies have a team of lawyers protecting their interests and working hard to deny or minimize your claim. You should also have a team of experienced lawyers working on your side to fight on your behalf so that you are not shortchanged in the settlement of your claims. Your Florida flood damage insurance claim attorney will help you assess the full extent of your damage, file your claim, and negotiate for a fair settlement. We know the tactics that the insurance companies use to avoid full liability and we can shield you from falling prey to their pressure tactics by handling all communications with them.
Get help from the Florida flood damage insurance claim attorneys at the Kagan Law Firm before you file a claim. Call us at (954) 300-1068 to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced attorneys.