If your house is damaged or destroyed in a fire or tornado, you will have a dark road to recovery. You may have nowhere to live while your home is repaired. The good news is that most homeowner’s policies cover temporary housing for you and your family.
If your insurance carrier denies your property damage claim, you can count on one of our home insurance lawyers in Ft. Lauderdale to help.
Our Ft. Lauderdale Property Damage Attorneys Have Helped Clients Whose Homes Were Uninhabitable
Over the years, our Ft. Lauderdale property damage attorneys have helped hundreds of people whose homes were damaged in a storm or fire. The hardest thing for most of them is figuring out what they’ll do while their home is being fixed.
For many of them, there are friends or family waiting in the wings to take them in. However, many of our clients have nowhere to go. When they meet with one of our property damage lawyers in Ft. Lauderdale, they’re at a loss.
These are the cases we like to handle. Helping people is what we pride ourselves on.
Who Determines Whether Your Home Is Inhabitable?
It can be hard to predict whether the insurance company will declare your home inhabitable. At times, you wish they would come out and try to spend a night amongst the debris, dust, and glass.
If the insurance adjuster doesn’t believe your home is uninhabitable, make sure you call one of our Ft. Lauderdale property damage attorneys. We’ll get a private adjuster to review the damage and issue a final report for us. We’ll then reach out to the insurance company and try to negotiate payment and coverage for temporary housing.
Your Ft. Lauderdale Property Damage Attorney Can Step in if the Insurance Company Refuses Coverage
If your home has been wrecked or nearly destroyed in a storm or fire, you shouldn’t have to worry about finding a place to stay. The insurance company should pay for this sort of thing.
The first thing your property damage lawyer in Ft. Lauderdale will do is review your policy. This will let them know what kind of coverage you have.
They’ll also have an independent insurance adjuster take a look at the damage to your home.
If the independent adjuster believes your house is, in fact, uninhabitable, they will issue a statement to this effect. Once your attorney has this, they can let the insurance carrier know that they plan to file a complaint.
Your Homeowner’s Policy Should Cover Temporary Housing
Most homeowners’ policies do offer temporary housing coverage. Once your house is declared uninhabitable, you’ll have to look for somewhere else to live. This could be a long-term stay in a motel or hotel.
Other people are able to find a month-to-month lease on an apartment. The problem is that this can be awfully expensive. You’ll need help from the insurance company to pay for this.
Your property damage lawyer in Ft. Lauderdale will do what they can to ensure that you’re taken care of.
Your Property Damage Lawyer in Ft. Lauderdale Knows How Expensive Temporary Housing Can Be
Our Ft. Lauderdale property damage attorneys know how expensive it can be to find temporary housing. Even if you find a small motel, they may charge more than a hundred or two hundred dollars a night. Nobody can afford this.
As long as your homeowner’s policy is current, there’s a good chance you’ll be covered for temporary housing.
What if the Insurance Carrier Denies Your Claim?
Once your home is declared uninhabitable, you should be told how much coverage you will receive. You can then use this money to pay for your temporary housing.
If this doesn’t happen, or if the amount is unreasonably low, let us know. Your Ft. Lauderdale property damage attorney will reach out to the insurance adjuster and find out what the problem is.
Your Temporary Housing Coverage Should Pay for More Than Just Shelter
Almost all homeowner’s insurance policies cover alternate accommodations. This is usually referred to as coverage for temporary housing. Aside from the actual housing, this coverage also pays for some or all of the following:
- Food and meals while you are living outside of your primary residence
- Transportation
- Laundry services
- Moving expenses
- Down payments for temporary utilities
- Storage fees
- Parking
- Furnishings if the place you find isn’t already furnished
This will add up to a lot of money. It’s important that you know how much coverage you actually have. If you exceed your policy limits, you will have to pay for the rest out-of-pocket.
There Are Limits to How Much Coverage You Will Receive
Most insurance companies only provide a certain amount of coverage for temporary housing. In most of the cases our property damage lawyers in Ft. Lauderdale handle, the limit for temporary housing is 10% of your dwelling’s coverage amount.
This means that, if you have $300,000 in dwelling coverage, you should have $30,000 in temporary housing coverage. Of course, every policy is unique. Your policy could offer more or less than this standard amount.
If the insurance company gives you a hard time about paying this part of your claim, let us know. One of our Ft. Lauderdale property damage attorneys will get in touch with the insurance adjuster handling your claim.
Once they know you have retained a property damage lawyer in Ft. Lauderdale, they may change their attitude.
Rather Than Worry on Your Own, Contact One of Our Ft. Lauderdale Property Damage Attorneys
Our property damage lawyers in Ft. Lauderdale understand how devastating it can be to lose your home. Whether you suffered a house fire, or your roof was torn off during a tornado, it’s gut-wrenching. That’s why we work so hard to make sure your insurance carrier takes care of you.
If you’re afraid your claim may be denied, or worry you won’t receive the coverage you deserve, contact our office. You can sit down with one of our Ft. Lauderdale property damage attorneys free of charge. We’ll look at your policy and determine what your coverage should’ve been.
All you have to do is call today and schedule your free, initial consultation.
