Florida homeowners are likely to have to deal with insurance claims related to damaged pipes
A number of homeowners in Florida may experience damage to their homes that are caused by broken pipes or aging cast iron pipes. When this happens, insurance companies will often try to deny coverage, but homeowners can still fight to receive payments for their losses. Florida residents may be more susceptible to problems caused by damage or leaking pipes due to the local climate, which includes high heat and humidity that shortens the lifespan of a pipe by decades.
There are some basic pieces of information that homeowners should review if they have experienced issues with water pipes breaking or leaking recently.
Florida homeowners in these categories should be aware of potential water damage and insurance issues
Homes that are over 40 years old are more likely to have iron pipes instead of plastic or PVC pipes, and it is likely that some of them could start to leak or break in the near future. If your house is newer and you know that iron was not used for the water pipes, they are much less likely to suddenly break.
If a home has already had previous issues with a pipe failing and causing water damage, it is more likely to happen again, and all of the pipes will probably need to be replaced eventually.
If your insurance company has already denied a claim or offered a very low amount to cover damage and losses, it will be beneficial to get legal help, as the insurance provider may be attempting to make excuses to avoid paying out the proper amount.
The insurance company Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, which operates exclusively in Florida, says that they are served with several hundred lawsuits related to pipe damage each month. Almost half of these cases do have to go to court to be litigated at some point.
If an insurance provider does pay money out to make repairs, by law they can limit who is allowed to do the work and how much they will spend on the approved job. The average amount given to homeowners for these repairs in 2017 was between $10,000 and $30,000.
While most water damage claims are for at least $10,000 worth of damage, companies will often try to pay out as little as two or three thousand dollars. In these cases, it may be worth it to contact a lawyer if the insurance provider refuses to offer any additional financial assistance or negotiate the claim. If they totally deny a claim when a valid insurance policy is in place, they may be breaking the law.
Insurance claim lawyers are available in your area
To get more information about how an attorney can help you with insurance claims for water damage and related issues in Fort Myers or Naples, contact:
The Law Offices of Michael M. Raheb, P.A.
2423 First Street, Fort Myers, FL 33901
866-949-0888
www.michaelraheb.com
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