Orlando First Party Storm Damage Lawyer

Tropical storms and  hurricanes are a normal part of life in Orlando, and there is no getting around that fact. You know this, of course, which is why you make regular premium payments to your homeowners’ insurance provider. You, and millions of others, pay them a monthly fee so that when serious damage occurs in the event of a storm, they step in to cover the cost of repair. Unfortunately, while the system was intended to act in this fashion, it is rarely ever so simple. After all, insurance companies have stockholders to please and CEOs to give bonuses to. Profits come before their customers, and insurance adjusters fight tooth and nail to reduce the value of the claim, or refuse to pay outright. Because of this, homeowners are often neglected when they need help the most. Contact an experienced Orlando first party storm damage lawyer with The Pendas Law Firm to get the full value of your storm damage claim.

Hurricane and Tropical Storm Damage

Hurricanes and tropical storms are the most destructive types weather events in Florida, and cause $28 billion in damage on average, per year. Your homeowners’ insurance policy likely covers the following types of damage caused by storms:

• Wind damage, such as a roof being torn off or a tree falling onto your home;
• Fire damage, for example, caused by a down power line;
• Water damage, such as a leak in the roof or through broken windows;
• Vandalism, theft, and graffiti in the event that you evacuated and your home was damaged by criminals when you left; and
• Sewer backup, depending on your policy and the cause of the backup.

Water Damage is Not the Same as Flood Damage

A typical homeowners’ insurance policy covers damage caused by wind, hail, and water, but not by flooding. This may not make sense at first glance, because isn’t water damage the same as flooding? Florida statute 627.715 has a very wide definition of flooding, which is not covered under any insurance policy except for the Federal Flood Insurance Program. The definition of a flood is a “general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or of two or more properties, at least one of which is the policyholder’s property.” The cause can be from tidal waves, mudflow, rapid accumulation of runoff, or other events.. Flooding during tropical storms or hurricanes is caused by storm surge (wind from the storm pushing water up onto the land), and rapid accumulation of runoff. As such, an insurance adjuster may make the claim that the damage your home experienced was caused by flooding, as opposed to mere water damage, even if you believe that the water damage was caused by the wind breaking your windows or ripping apart your roof.

Call a First Party Storm Damage Lawyer Today

If you are a policyholder and homeowner who has suffered home damage caused by a storm, your best chance at receiving the financial assistance required to fix your property is to contact The Pendas Law Firm for professional legal assistance. Call 1-844-200-0000 to schedule a free consultation today with an Orlando First Party Storm Damage attorney.