Residential Property Owners
Residential property owners in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama face both unique and extreme hurricane damage risks. Severe storms and the damage that is caused, including wind, flood and fire hit harder on The Gulf Coast than anywhere else in the United States.
Insurance companies have dramatically increased the rates charged to policyholders or have pulled out of the region altogether.
Many residential property owners understandably feel exposed and alone.
The lawyers at Unglesby Law Firm are dedicated to serving and protecting the interests of their Gulf Coast neighbors. Unglesby Law Firm is based in Louisiana, and always will be.
What Can You Do? First Steps…
It is always advisable to consult with a lawyer in advance of purchasing an insurance policy. Not all policies cover wind, flood, rain, fire, mold and other damage associated with hurricanes. It is important to purchase an insurance policy that addresses all risk factors.
It is also a priority to know the business histories of insurance carriers with whom you may be working. Do they have a track record of complaints and/or litigation based on denying or undervaluing proper claims? Do they have other reputational problems that should cause concern?
A good lawyer can help identify red flags in advance of the purchase of a policy.
Once the process of buying an insurance policy is complete, it is recommended that policyholders stay completely current with the terms of their policies
What Can You Do? Next Steps…
Don’t delay making necessary home modifications or improvements. Improper roof maintenance can lead to roof, flood and wind, and mold damage. Improper wiring can lead to fires. Insurances companies use facts like these to deny or undervalue claims. It is important to remove all potential pretexts for denial or undervaluation of claims.
Consult with well-qualified home inspectors. While good ones aren’t cheap, they can not only help prevent insurance denial risk points, they can actually provide guidance that can add to the value of your residential or commercial property.
An ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure.
If A Hurricane Strikes…
As soon as it is safe to return home, an immediate inspection of your residential property is recommended. Be mindful of all potential damage: Flood, wind, fire, mold and other destruction. Take photos from all angles and take detailed notes. Memories fade quickly, particularly in stressful situations.
And there are few situations more stressful than Hurricanes.
Once the situation is fully documented at your residential and/or commercial property, contact a well-qualified law firm, like Unglesby Law Firm, to manage the insurance claim reporting process. This must be done as quickly as possible. Insurance companies respond much faster to claimants with well-respected legal counsel.
The lawyers at Unglesby Law Firm have extensive experience fighting for people who have been wronged by their insurance companies. Surviving being a victim of hurricane damage is difficult enough. To survive a hurricane only to be denied a rightful insurance claim is an unforgivable disgrace.
At Unglesby Law Firm, we work with owners of residential properties whose lives have been upended not just by severe weather incidents like hurricanes, but by the damage caused when rightfully paid for insurance policies are not honored.