When you buy a new house, one of the first things you do is buy homeowner’s insurance. If you have a mortgage on your home, then you don’t have a choice about this. But even once your home is paid off, it would be foolish not to purchase homeowner’s insurance. And, if you live in Florida, it would also be wise to go ahead and buy special insurance for wind or hurricane damage.
This way, you have peace of mind in knowing that any roof damage will be covered in the event of a natural disaster. Our Hollywood property damage lawyers have met with too many clients who thought they were covered and then found out they’d have to pay for a new roof out of pocket. Rather than risk this happening to you, give our office a call. We can schedule a free consultation with one of our property damage attorneys in Florida.
Most Homeowners’ Policies Cover Major Roof Damage
For the most part, if you have homeowner’s insurance, it will cover damage to your roof. This is the case whether your roof suffers minor damage or is completely destroyed. Of course, as with any other damage to your home, the specific type of damage must be included.
Similarly, your policy must not exclude certain events, such as tropical storms or hurricanes. One thing our Hollywood property damage lawyers have learned is that a lot of insurance companies won’t cover this type of event, especially for homeowners in Florida.
For those policies that do cover roof damage, your property damage attorney in Florida will still need to prove that your claim is payable. If, for example, the damage was caused by an Act of God, there is a good chance it will be included.
However, there are certain limitations. Damage caused by improper maintenance or negligence will not be covered. Damage caused by everyday wear and tear isn’t covered either. Your Hollywood property damage lawyer must demonstrate that a sudden event or accident was responsible for your roof damage.
Your Policy May Also Cover Ancillary Damage to Your Home
One of the benefits of having homeowner’s insurance is that it usually covers ancillary damage to your home. For example, if there is a terrible storm and it causes a large hole in your roof, there’s bound to be water damage. Your insurance should cover any personal property that is damaged as a result of the gaping hole. In addition, if the storm causes further damage to your pipes or plumbing system, you should be covered for that as well.
What your Hollywood property damage lawyer will do is help you assess the full damage to your property. This way, they can ensure that your claim includes everything damaged or destroyed. The last thing you want to do is submit your claim and then realize you forgot to include a handful of items. It can be extremely difficult to get the insurance adjuster to go back and properly amend your claim.
Your Hollywood Property Damage Lawyer May Not Get Damage from Normal Wear and Tear Approved
Our property damage attorneys in Florida always feel terrible explaining why certain damage isn’t covered by insurance. When we first meet with a new client, we ask them to tell us what caused their property damage. Most of the time, they tell us that it was caused by a storm, fire, or some other unusual event.
However, many people assume that their homeowner’s insurance will cover normal wear and tear. In reality, once your roof is about 15-20 years old, it is hard to get any coverage for it. If you’re lucky, the insurance adjuster will approve the cash value of your roof at the time the damage occurred. They will not approve full payment for repairs or a replacement.
In addition to excluding damage from wear and tear, your policy will also exclude damage caused by your negligence. For example, imagine that there’s a storm and you experienced a few holes in your roof. You have a friend, who is not a licensed roofer, patch up the holes. You don’t inspect the property at the time to see if there is further damage.
A few months later, you realize that there is water damage due to extraneous leaks. The insurance company will deny coverage for this based on your negligence. First, they will ask why you didn’t have a professional roofer do the repairs. Second, they will ask why there wasn’t a routine inspection done. Had it been inspected, there was a good chance you would have seen the additional damage.
Talk to a Property Damage Attorney in Florida Before You Make Any Repairs
Some people that we talk to make the mistake of doing repairs before they talk to a property damage attorney in Florida. Then, they find out that the insurance company has no intention of paying your claim. You could end up paying for your roofing repairs out-of-pocket.
If your roof was destroyed, then you could end up paying for a total roof replacement. Most homeowners we know cannot afford that kind of expense. Even if you can afford it, who would want to part with that kind of money if they don’t have to?
The whole point of paying for homeowner’s insurance is to protect your property. However, before you ever arrange for repairs to be done, you need to clear it with the insurance adjuster. If they refuse to approve your claim, then call one of our Hollywood property damage lawyers. They can review your policy as well as any documentation you have regarding your roof.
We do offer new clients a free consultation. This gives you the chance to talk to a property damage attorney in Florida who has a lot of experience dealing with insurance companies. They’ll do their best to get your claim approved. They will also work hard to ensure that your claim covers all damaged items in your home.
