A 2018 J.D. Power survey reports that a whopping 86% of homeowners are happy with how their property claims have been handled by their insurance providers. While more homeowners than ever appear to be satisfied about their property claims, it doesn’t necessarily mean you as a homeowner will be satisfied. There are still a significant amount of things that can go wrong in a homeowner’s insurance claim, and dishonest insurers have plenty of tricks in their pocket to try to sway a filing out of the homeowners’ favor. It may be your best option to work with an insurance claim attorney from the get-go if you want to make sure your property claim stays under control and on track. According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), the average claim deals with property damage priced between $11,000 and $12,000. This is a lot of money to leave to chance! Having an insurance lawyer in your corner will raise the odds inexorably in your favor and get you the coverage you deserve.
What Your Insurance Attorney Can Help You With:
- Expediting processes- Insurance companies often delay the processing of your claim on purpose so that you get impatient and are more likely to settle for a lowball number, or drop the claim completely. There are many ways a lawyer can use countermeasures to kick the insurer into action. One notable way lawyers can get your case moving is through threatening litigation.
- Appealing denials- If your insurer thinks that they can get away with it, they will deny your homeowners’ insurance claim. Don’t forget, insurance companies are in the business of making money, and the less they can pay you, the less they will pay you. An attorney can step in and challenge the denial with a well-crafted appeal, or possibly even a lawsuit if insurance bad faith was used against you.
- Negotiating settlements- Keep an eye out for lowball settlements pushed by insurers upfront. A common move by insurance companies is to pitch lowballs in the hopes that you take it out of fear of never getting the amount you really deserve. Your insurance lawyer is there to represent your best interests and make sure you do not get fooled by this incredibly common tactic.
An Attorney Helps You Prepare For Success
Home insurance companies bank on the fact that you probably don’t know much about insurance claim processes. Should a dispute arise, catch them by surprise in your insurance claim by being as prepared as possible. The first step is to determine what the main cause of the dispute is by double-checking your initial claim and your insurer’s responses. Make sure you keep copies of all paperwork involved, statements, and email communications. Organize these chronologically for easy reference later. You should also consult with an attorney early in the process. An attorney will let you know if you do not need legal assistance, but if you do, then you will be immediately grateful you got ahead of the game. You will want a lawyer leading the way, especially if your insurer is offering a value much lower than the calculations you made on your own. If the amount is relatively close and you’re not too concerned about the difference, then you may be better off saving your time and energy by accepting the offer.
Berchert & Associates is a top law firm in the South Florida area. If you are seeking legal counsel regarding an insurance claim, call us for a consultation today!
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