Carrollwood Insurance Dispute Attorney
Most commercial and residential property owners diligently pay insurance premiums for years or even decades without asking for anything in return. They understandably expect similar treatment from the company when they experienced insured losses. Unfortunately, these policyholders soon learn a harsh economic lesson. Insurance companies make money when they collect premiums. They lose money when they pay claims. And, no company likes to lose money.
In contrast, the experienced Carrollwood insurance dispute attorneys at Moore Law treat everyone equally, all the time. Every time we work on your case, we give our best effort and our best attitude. The insurance dispute process is complex and intimidating. However, in our experience, if you have a valid claim, the insurance company eventually does what’s right. So, we normally resolve these claims successfully, without going to a risky trial or arbitration setting.
Common Insurance Disputes
Most of the insurance disputes we handle involve property claims. A subset of this area is the value of the insured property at issue. Furthermore, in the coronavirus era, business interruption claims are very common as well.
Disputes over storm damage claims are almost inevitable. There is no clearly-established evidence review standard in Florida. Claims adjusters often take advantage of this ambiguity and deny claims based on little or no evidence. Many property owners assume the adjuster’s opinion is the final word. In most cases, that’s not true.
As for the value of the property, many items lose much of their value over time. A motor vehicle is a good example. Frequently, new cars lose about half their value over the first several years. But in most cases, the insurance policy covers the full insured value of the property at the time the policy was executed. In other words, insurance companies cannot use depreciation to justify lower payment amounts.
Many businesses are still feeling the effects of coronavirus restrictions. Furthermore, it now appears that COVID-19 may be endemic. Much like the flu, coronavirus might get better for a while, get worse for a while, and then that cycle repeats.
Most business interruption policies cover losses due to government action or a civil disturbance. Arguably, coronavirus losses could fall under either category. However, insurance companies have consistently denied these claims.
Insurance Claim Process
Insurance adjusters can never rubber-stamp claims as “paid” or “denied.” Instead, they have a duty to conduct a prompt, thorough, and transparent investigation.
As for promptness, some strict time deadlines usually apply in these cases. More on that below. Thorough investigators examine all the facts, not just the ones that fit their presuppositions or are easily ascertainable at the time. Transparent investigations are open investigations. There are no closed-door meetings or secret phone calls.
Generally, the insurance company has a duty to immediately acknowledge a claim. Insurance companies cannot use large storms or other large disasters as an excuse to drag their feet. This acknowledgment triggers a duty to investigate the claim, as discussed above. Generally, these investigations cannot take longer than sixty days. At the end of an investigation, the insurance company has a duty to tender a reasonable offer. Low-ball offers or take-or-leave-it offers are not reasonable.
Work With a Compassionate Hillsborough County Lawyer
Injury victims are usually entitled to significant compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced insurance dispute lawyer in Carrollwood, contact Moore Law by going online or calling 813-510-5400. You have a limited amount of time to act.
