When people hear the words, “Act of God”, they envision great floods and major earthquakes. The truth is that an Act of God is nothing more than a natural disaster. These are events that homeowners have absolutely no control over.
When you are visited by one of these Acts of God, there is a chance that your homeowner’s policy won’t cover the damage to your home and personal property. If you learn that the insurance adjuster has decided to deny or underpay your claim, you do have options. You can meet with one of our Hollywood homeowner’s insurance lawyers to find out what these options are.
Here, we will discuss what qualifies as Acts of God. We will also explain how you can confirm that your policy covers these events. If you have already been the victim of an Act of God and your insurance company is giving you a hard time, contact our office right away. We can set up a date and time for you to meet with one of our Hollywood property damage lawyers. They will review your policy and your claim to determine how best to proceed.
Most Homeowners Assume That Their Insurance Covers All Natural Disasters
When you purchase homeowner’s insurance, you have no reason to think that any Acts of God would be excluded from coverage. The whole point of paying for insurance is to make sure your property is protected from exactly this type of event. When our Hollywood property damage lawyers first meet with a new client, we often ask them if they thought their insurance policy covered the damage they experienced. Nine times out of ten, they say they did.
Unless you work in the insurance industry, you would have no reason to understand the intricate workings of a homeowner’s insurance policy. You certainly wouldn’t think that things like floods, wind, and fire would be excluded from coverage. Unfortunately, when you live in a place like Florida, one of the first things you should check is whether your policy covers things like Hurricanes and floods.
You Need to Double Check Your Homeowner’s Policy
Our Hollywood property damage lawyers meet with any homeowner, we always tell them to read their insurance policy in detail. If you are like most people, the fine print may as well be written in another language. You can always make a copy of your homeowner’s policy and highlight the sections you don’t understand. You should also circle any clauses that seem unreasonable to you. You can then hire one of our attorneys to review the policy and tell you what they think.
If you’ve already suffered property damage, the only thing your Hollywood property damage lawyer can do is help you fight the insurance company. If your policy doesn’t specifically exclude Acts of God, you may be able to negotiate payment of your claim. However, if the contract specifically and explicitly excludes certain types of damage, there is a good chance your claim may be denied.
What if Your Policy Doesn’t Cover or Specifically Excludes Certain Acts of God?
If you have noticed that your homeowner’s policy doesn’t cover Acts of God, or excludes some of these events, you may want to purchase a rider. You can buy additional and supplemental insurance to cover these things, just in case your primary carrier denies your claim.
If you already have additional insurance, you need to show a copy of your policy to your Hollywood property damage lawyer. They can help you file claims against both policies and ensure that you’re fully compensated for your losses.
If you aren’t sure if you need to purchase a rider or buy supplemental insurance, consider that many policies exclude the following Acts of God:
Floods
If you happen to live in a flood zone, your homeowner’s insurance is probably not going to pay a claim for water damage. Unless you can show that the damage was from a broken pipe or some other issue, you may not receive any compensation from the insurance carrier. In fact, most mortgage companies require you to buy separate flood insurance, whether you live in a flood zone or not.
Hurricanes
People in Florida know how often hurricanes hit their home state. Many insurance companies exclude damage caused by hurricanes in their insurance policies. They cannot afford to pay out large claims every time there is a hurricane or tropical storm.
This is why our Hollywood property damage lawyers always suggest that you buy additional insurance for your home, especially if you live in an area hit hard by severe weather.
All Acts of God
You may find that your policy covers Acts of God generally, but that it only covers damage to your actual house. Many policies will not cover the cost of any personal property damage.
Unsure Whether Specific Acts of God Are Covered? Meet With One of Our Hollywood Property Damage Lawyers
When people buy a home, one of the first things they need to do is purchase homeowner’s insurance. If you’re financing your home, you won’t have a choice in the matter. Your mortgage company will require that you carry insurance, at least until you pay off your loan.
Normally, you can trust that your homeowner’s policy will cover things like Acts of God. After all, if you can’t prevent something from happening, it doesn’t seem fair that it wouldn’t be covered. That is why you buy insurance in the first place.
Unfortunately, depending on the terms of your policy, Acts of God may not necessarily be covered. If you suffer serious damage to your home or personal property, it’s a good idea to meet with a Hollywood property damage lawyer right away. They can help you file your claim and make sure the insurance company doesn’t try to take advantage of you.
We offer new clients the chance to meet with one of our attorneys free of charge. This gives you a chance to decide if an attorney can help you in your current situation. It also gives our associates a chance to see if you have a claim worth pursuing.
