Florida Homeowners Insurance Lawyer

Having Trouble With Your Homeowners Insurance?

Looking for an attorney for a homeowner insurance claim in Coral Gables? Homeowners pay expensive insurance premiums to ensure the safety of their property. Insurance companies should honor their clients with appropriate evaluations, payments and service.

What Does Homeowners Insurance Cover?

Homeowners insurance will cover any of the following:

• Theft or burglary
• Fire damage & loss
• Roof damage
• Water damage
• And general property damage & loss

Damaged or lost property can have negative effects on individuals and families if they do not receive the insurance coverage they paid for and expected. I, Attorney Diamond, can provide you with committed legal representation if you are having difficulty getting the compensation you should from your insurer.

Legal actions are often initiated against insurance companies when their valid claims are:

• Denied
• Reduced
• Paid out at a lower than expected level
• Or even been completely ignored

These actions are unacceptable. As an insurance lawyer, I can help you fight to receive proper insurance compensation from your insurance company. I have been practicing insurance law for over thirteen years and have been nominated for "Super Lawyers Rising Star". I understand that receiving low payments or being given the "runaround" can cause serious stress and financial strain and be difficult to deal with.

My firm will look through all of the details, including every line of your homeowner's insurance policy to determine what options you have available. I will even conduct a thorough investigation of the damaged or lost property so a fair evaluation can be calculated.

What Is the Homeowner Insurance Claims Process?

When filing a homeowners insurance claim you should follow these general steps to submit your claim:

1. If there was any crime involved, report the incident to the police
2. Contact your insurance company to ask any preliminary questions you may have before filing your claim (i.e. whether or not you are covered, if your claim will be greater than your deductible, etc.)
3. Fill out the claim forms your insurance company provides and return within the specified period of time
4. After submitting your claim an insurance adjuster will typically come to appraise the damage
5. Be sure that you have videoed or taken photos of any damage before making any temporary repairs
6. If you have repairs done, keep a record of how much it costs
7. After taking into account all of the details, your insurance company will offer you a settlement; if you agree to the settlement you will receive payment for the damages promptly

If at any point you feel that your have been treated unfairly with the settlement being offered, or the information regarding the damage to your home has been misrepresented, do not hesitate to contact a skilled homeowners insurance attorney to discuss your situation.

Homeowners Insurance FAQ

Are home insurance claims taxable?

• In general, home insurance claims are not taxable if the funds awarded are simply restoring your home to it's original state prior to an accident, or in other words, making you financially "whole". However, if a settlement exceeds the original cost of the home or property, it may be taxable as "income."

If I file a home insurance claim will it increase my insurance premium?

• While there is not necessarily a one-to-one ratio for filing a claim and having your rates go up, if you have a history of filing claims at previous homes, an insurance company may evaluate you as a higher risk than other homeowners because you are more likely to file a claim. This may result in the insurance company charging you a higher premium.

Can my insurance company deny my homeowners claim?

• Yes. An insurance company may refuse to pay your claim for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to: failure to pay your premium, filing a false statement or claim, failing to provide sufficient documentation of the damage sustained, exclusion clauses, or even bad faith on the part of the insurance company. If your claim has been denied, contact me immediately and I can help you determine what steps you need to take next.

How long do homeowners insurance claims stay on your record?

• Each time you file a homeowners insurance claim, your claim is recorded so that future insurance companies can refer to it when determining how big a risk you would be to insure. In general, insurance claims stay on record for anywhere from 5 to 7 years.

Can you withdraw a homeowners insurance claim?

• In most cases yes, you can withdraw your insurance claim if you have not yet received a payout. However, this does not mean that your claim will be removed from your claims record. Once you file a claim it will go on your record and stay there, whether or not you receive a payout for the claim.

Quality Defense You Can Trust

My firm usually does not charge a fee unless your case is won or successfully negotiated. This ensures each client that they will receive the utmost dedication and effort from myself and my firm.

You deserve to be treated with respect by your insurance company, and when there are insurance disputes, we move forward quickly to press the insurance company to get the claim paid at the level you deserve and have a right to expect after your years of faithfully paying for your coverage.