How HOA’s and COA’s Impact Property Damage Claims
Anyone who has ever lived in an Homeowners Association (“HOA”) or Condominium Owners Association (“COA”) community will start off with the upsides: my yard work is taken care of, there is a gate that makes me feel secure, the homes are all close together so there is a greater sense of community, I don’t have to maintain the community pool or gym, the homes all have to meet a certain standard that regulates our property values, etc. People often try to leave out the downsides like ordinance violations, trouble finding parking for visitors, seeking association approval before making repairs or improvements to your own home, etc. Moreover, in many communities the HOA and COA rules, regulations, ordinances, and declarations can cause serious problems for homeowners, especially if they have a property damage claim.
How Long Is My Case Going To Take?
This is a question we are often asked and a very reasonable one given why you have come to us. More likely than not, you have hired our office because you have damage to your home and you want to know if your insurance benefits will assist you in repairing it. Not only that, you sometimes have to look at the damage or experience the effects of the damage every day, all while it seems like the insurance company is taking their time. You might find yourself saying the following things “it is taking too long?” or “is this ever going to end?” The answer to the second question is “yes!” Once you hire us and if your case gets into litigation (note, some cases resolve without litigation – not as many – but some), there is an end in sight.
Keeping It Simple: Four Things a Homeowner Should Do To Make The Claims Process Easier
Besides a spontaneous pipe burst and the like, living in the state of Florida as we all know means hurricane season for roughly half the year, every year. Florida homeowners are therefore subject to an incredible potential for property damage constantly which often inevitably leads to opening an insurance claim at some point or another. Here are some useful, albeit obvious things you as a homeowner can do to simplify the process and reduce your own headache in the future:
Uninsured Motorist Coverage – Get This Yesterday
Today we will discuss uninsured motorist coverage in the state of Florida and you should have it and if you don’t have it, you should be on the phone with your car insurance carrier adding it now. Underinsured/Uninsured Motorist Coverage is insurance that you as a Florida driver can opt to carry on your own policy. Typically, in an accident, an injured driver would seek compensation and insurance benefits from the at-fault party in the collision. These benefits would be paid out from the at-fault’s Bodily Injury Coverage under the at-fault’s insurance policy. But what happens if that driver does not have high enough policy limits to support significant treatment and potential surgery costs? What if the at-fault driver has no insurance coverage at all?
How Legal Proceedings Have Changed After COVID-19
One of the main changes in the way that legal proceedings have changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic is that the majority of legal proceedings now take place online rather than in person. Prior to the pandemic, depositions, hearings, mediations, arbitrations, and jury trials all took place in person. For our client, this means that there were more travel costs associated with the litigation. It also meant if they needed to appear for a legal proceeding they would need to travel to the courthouse or to a court reporter or mediator’s office.
5 Tips On Protecting Your Home From Hurricane Damage
It is that season again that we all dread. No, not tax season, hurricane. Thankfully we have been fortunate to have not been hit by a major hurricane since Irma but like all lucky streaks this could end at any time. With that being said, here are 5 ways you can protect your home from a hurricane.
Why are Insurance Policies in the News? Don’t Be Bullied By Skewed Reports
Over the past few years there has been an explosion in the amount of publicity regarding homeowner’s insurance claims. A large amount of this publicity has come from the side of the property insurance companies in Florida. But what is rarely discussed is one of the main drivers of why litigation costs have risen to the levels that they have, that being the improper claims handling and litigation tactics of insurance companies themselves.
10 Tips to Making Your Home Safer and More Secure
As a new homeowner myself and still with young kids in the home, I did some research on ways I
could improve the safety of my home. Both, while I am home and away. Below you will find ten tips from
different sources that I used to make my home safer that I thought would be good to share.
The Importance of Picking an Experienced and Quality Appraiser
Appraisal – If you are like most of my clients, the first question when you hear the word “appraisal,” is
what is it? Insurance policies can be long and confusing. On top of that, it’s not like people have an
opportunity to change words or phrases in an insurance policy that are unfavorable to them. For these
reasons, most people obtain an insurance policy and never read it. As such, most of my clients find out
appraisal may be invoked in their situation when I am discussing the case with them during the claims
process.
Slip and Fall Accidents Happen All of the Time: Here’s What You Need to Know About Florida Slip and Fall Laws
Slip and fall accidents can occur within a blink of an eye, but the catastrophic damages that they cause
can remain for a lifetime. After a fall, you may find yourself feeling in pain, embarrassed, and confused
what to do next. It is very easy to seriously injure yourself, particularly in big box stores with concrete or
covered concrete floors. A fall can cause significant damage and medical bills and it is important to know
your rights so you do not have to pay for a store’s negligence.