My Hurricane Ian Claim Was Rejected. Now What?

A few reasons why your claim could have been denied include:

• Your policy doesn’t cover the losses you filed for
• Your property was already damaged before Hurricane Ian happened
• Your losses don’t meet the standard for federal assistance
• You didn’t provide the required documentation

Many of these issues can be avoided by submitting your insurance claim correctly. Our firm can ensure you file correctly to avoid a denial. If your claim got denied, you have options to seek the financial relief you need.

You have options for appealing a hurricane claim insurance denial. Denied claims aren’t the end of the road. If your claim was rejected, you can file an appeal, seek an appraisal, negotiate with your insurer, or pursue a lawsuit.

If your claim was with a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) insurance program, like the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), you can file an appeal. This appeal must be submitted within 60 days of your claim rejection. To file an appeal, you’ll need to do the following:

• Submit a copy of the denial
• Explain your issue with the denial
• Provide documentation that proves that you deserve the claim

Documentation, in this case, could include contractor-signed repair estimates, images of damaged property, or other evidence that shows that your home was damaged.

Not all insurance claims are through the NFIP. If you’re dealing with private insurance, you may need to seek an appraisal. During the appraisal process, you hire an appraiser who works with your insurer to recalculate the value of your claim. They will inspect your property and take note of the damage Hurricane Ian caused.

It’s entirely possible that your insurer made a mistake in issuing your claim rejection. If you believe this is the case, you can contact your insurer to discuss your claim. Make sure to provide evidence of their error.

If you can prove that your insurer failed to provide complete coverage, they’re obligated to fix their mistake. A Boca Raton property damage lawyer from our firm can help you through the process of negotiations.

As an insurance consumer, you have the right to file a lawsuit against your insurer, according to Florida Statutes § 624.155. To succeed in filing a lawsuit, you must provide evidence that proves wrongdoing or unfair insurance practices. Our attorney can help you get your lawsuit filed by filling out all the necessary paperwork.

Before appealing a rejected claim, it’s essential that you understand the limits of your hurricane coverage. According to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, you can purchase a range of insurance policies that will cover damage from occurrences like:

• Windstorms, such as hurricanes
• Hail
• Lightning
• Vandalism
• Fire
• Explosions

In Florida, hurricane insurance is split into two groups, homeowners insurance and flood insurance:

• Homeowners’ insurance: If you chose a basic insurance policy, it will likely not cover flood damage.
• Flood insurance: For most homeowners, you’ll need to purchase flood insurance separately. If you haven’t sought additional flood insurance, you probably don’t have coverage for water damage.

This distinction is important. If you have homeowners insurance, wind damage is most likely covered. However, you’ll need to check if you alsohave flood insurance. If you don’t, your insurer is probably not obligated to cover flood damage to your home.

When you suffer property damage because of a hurricane, you have three years to file a claim. This is outlined in Florida Statutes § 627.70132.

Our Hurricane Ian claims lawyer can help you make sure your claim is filed on time. Timely filing could help ensure your claim does not get denied.