Hurricane Laura Insurance Claims Attorneys |
(800) 259-1005 |
Assisting Policyholders with Denied, Delayed, or Underpaid Claims.Our hearts go out to our neighbors affected by Hurricane Laura. Our attorneys and team members live, work, and play in Lake Charles, Louisiana; we fully understand the impact Hurricane Laura has had on residents and businesses in Southwest Louisiana and Southeast Texas. While hurricanes are not new to our area, the rules surrounding “insurance claims” appear to change daily.
Our Louisiana-based law firm was established in 1986 and has worked with residential and commercial insurance claims victims of some of the deadliest tropical storms and hurricanes that have hit the Louisiana shoreline. Memorable storms include Hurricane Andrew in 1992, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, and Hurricane Ike in 2008. Hurricanes Laura, Rita, and Ike caused billions of dollars in damages and forced residents and business owners to endure a financially difficult rebuilding process. Louisiana residents fully understand the hard work involved in bringing our communities back to life. IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT HURRICANE LAURA AND INSURANCE CLAIMS Following a catastrophic hurricane or tropical storm, residents and businesses rely on insurance companies to cover the expenses needed to rebuild their homes and businesses. Your insurance coverage is a contractual agreement that you likely have paid premiums for years to indemnify you in the event of a loss. Unfortunately, the insurance claim process following a hurricane can be frustrating. Not all, but many insurance companies will delay, underpay, or deny legitimate claims preventing residents and business owners from rebuilding their lives. Lundy Lundy Soileau & South’s team of attorneys provide guidance and resources necessary to assist Louisiana policyholders through delayed, underpaid, and denied hurricane insurance claims. Our firm has recovered millions of dollars for our residential and business clients from some of the United States' largest insurance companies. PROMPT PAYMENT AND BAD FAITH Louisiana law obliges insurance companies to investigate, adjust, and pay claims promptly while handling claims in good faith. When insurance companies do not comply with Louisiana laws, they could be required to pay penalties that include two times the value of the claim, attorney’s fees, and additional damages that can be proven in court. Insurance bad faith conduct can include:
PROVING BAD FAITH
Lundy Lundy Soileau & South’s Hurricane Laura insurance claims attorneys can conduct a detailed review of your residential or business claim history to determine if there is a basis for filing to recover penalties. |
Contact our office for a free case evaluation. |
SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS IN THE INSURANCE CLAIMS PROCESS
Delayed Claims - the most frustrating piece of the claims process is delays in getting your claim resolved. Claims can be delayed for any number of reasons, including:
If your claim has been unjustly delayed, you may require the assistance of an attorney that understands the following:
UNDERPAID CLAIMS
The most common problem Louisiana residents incur with insurance following a hurricane is an underpaid claim.
Unfortunately, following a catastrophic event, insurance companies assign adjusters to countless properties to inspect in a short cycle. Adjusters often have very little time to spend examining the property to prepare the initial report used to determine the value of his or her claim. As a result, policyholders often find numerous items are omitted from their insurance company’s damage assessment.
The primary reason bad-faith insurance companies deny portions of the claim is that most policyholders will not retain an attorney to represent their interests.
We have handled numerous cases where the insurance company was forced to pay tens, even hundreds of thousands in adjustments simply because our clients had a law firm willing to go to court.
Generally, underpaid claims involve various difficulties concerning estimating, scope, or overlooked or omitted items.
Estimating problems arise when the cost of labor, materials, and additional environmental and logistical factors impact the price of performing construction.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CONSTRUCTION FOLLOWING A CATASTROPHIC EVENT
Common examples of under-assessed claims can include your insurance company estimating the cost of patching damaged shingles instead providing a new roof or underestimating the cost of carpet, wood floors, tile, cabinets, insulation, Sheetrock, paint, brick or siding to name a few.
When insurance companies significantly underestimate the scope of work, it can save them tens of thousands of dollars per claim.
You are entitled to a property that is indemnified (fully restored), not a mended home or business that will have future problems.
Thorough inspections after a catastrophic hurricane are rare. Insurance adjusters often overlook numerous items damaged during a hurricane, partially because you must prove your claim. Often the paperwork necessary to prove your claim was lost in the hurricane. The reality is, most property owners just want to get back to the business of living a semi-normal life and don’t fight back. Insurance companies know and use this to their advantage.
If you are the victim of an underpaid insurance claim, call the attorneys at the Lundy Lundy Soileau & South for a second opinion. Our insurance claims attorneys in Lake Charles, Louisiana can thoroughly review your claim and, if necessary, retain experts to fairly estimate your damage. Our firm fights to get the compensation you deserve.
DENIED CLAIMS
Insurance policies are notoriously complex and include limitations and exclusions to coverage.
Louisiana statutes and case law interpreting contracts that regulate insurance companies’ conduct are extensive. We help policyholders understand and navigate full or partial coverage denials.
Insurance companies frequently find ways to partially or completely deny your claim.
Example, your insurance policy may include mold exclusion. After a hurricane damages your roof, it allows water to leak inside your home causing mold. An insurance company will try to deny the mold damage on grounds it was excluded.
Nevertheless, courts have held that a “mold exclusion” only applies when mold is naturally occurring. In other words, if not for the covered peril, the mold would not have occurred from water intrusion, then the claim should be covered.
Louisiana courts have held that insurance contracts should be broadly interpreted in favor of expanding coverage with exclusions and limitations narrowly construed. Despite their knowledge of this, bad faith insurance companies wrongfully apply coverage exclusions and deny valid claims.
Preparing to File an Insurance Claim After Hurricane Laura
Business and homeowners should do the following when preparing a claim
You have a duty to limit or mitigate additional damage to your property. You do not need to completely repair or restore your property before settlement. However, practical measures need to be made to limit additional damage. Examples include tarping your roof to prevent additional water and element damage, remove water damaged drywall, and flooring (within reason) to prevent mold growth.
If you feel your insurance company is needlessly delaying, underpaying, or denying your insurance claim, you may need the help of an experienced insurance claims attorney to get the compensation you deserve.
Delayed Claims - the most frustrating piece of the claims process is delays in getting your claim resolved. Claims can be delayed for any number of reasons, including:
- Delayed scheduling of inspection
- Delayed response to calls or messages from the insured
- Insurance company alleges the necessity of multiple inspections by adjusters or engineers
- Your adjuster repeatedly requests additional documentation
- Your insurance company offers only a fraction of the value of the claim
If your claim has been unjustly delayed, you may require the assistance of an attorney that understands the following:
UNDERPAID CLAIMS
The most common problem Louisiana residents incur with insurance following a hurricane is an underpaid claim.
Unfortunately, following a catastrophic event, insurance companies assign adjusters to countless properties to inspect in a short cycle. Adjusters often have very little time to spend examining the property to prepare the initial report used to determine the value of his or her claim. As a result, policyholders often find numerous items are omitted from their insurance company’s damage assessment.
The primary reason bad-faith insurance companies deny portions of the claim is that most policyholders will not retain an attorney to represent their interests.
We have handled numerous cases where the insurance company was forced to pay tens, even hundreds of thousands in adjustments simply because our clients had a law firm willing to go to court.
Generally, underpaid claims involve various difficulties concerning estimating, scope, or overlooked or omitted items.
Estimating problems arise when the cost of labor, materials, and additional environmental and logistical factors impact the price of performing construction.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CONSTRUCTION FOLLOWING A CATASTROPHIC EVENT
- Following a catastrophic weather event, the cost of materials climbs sharply.
- Local licensed contractors are in short supply, which increases labor and project management costs.
- Insurance actuaries base their pricing on computer models irrelevant to current market conditions.
- Our insurance claims attorneys work with experts to reconcile differences in pricing by determining current market conditions. Pricing based on current market conditions is generally what you are owed.
Common examples of under-assessed claims can include your insurance company estimating the cost of patching damaged shingles instead providing a new roof or underestimating the cost of carpet, wood floors, tile, cabinets, insulation, Sheetrock, paint, brick or siding to name a few.
When insurance companies significantly underestimate the scope of work, it can save them tens of thousands of dollars per claim.
You are entitled to a property that is indemnified (fully restored), not a mended home or business that will have future problems.
Thorough inspections after a catastrophic hurricane are rare. Insurance adjusters often overlook numerous items damaged during a hurricane, partially because you must prove your claim. Often the paperwork necessary to prove your claim was lost in the hurricane. The reality is, most property owners just want to get back to the business of living a semi-normal life and don’t fight back. Insurance companies know and use this to their advantage.
If you are the victim of an underpaid insurance claim, call the attorneys at the Lundy Lundy Soileau & South for a second opinion. Our insurance claims attorneys in Lake Charles, Louisiana can thoroughly review your claim and, if necessary, retain experts to fairly estimate your damage. Our firm fights to get the compensation you deserve.
DENIED CLAIMS
Insurance policies are notoriously complex and include limitations and exclusions to coverage.
Louisiana statutes and case law interpreting contracts that regulate insurance companies’ conduct are extensive. We help policyholders understand and navigate full or partial coverage denials.
Insurance companies frequently find ways to partially or completely deny your claim.
Example, your insurance policy may include mold exclusion. After a hurricane damages your roof, it allows water to leak inside your home causing mold. An insurance company will try to deny the mold damage on grounds it was excluded.
Nevertheless, courts have held that a “mold exclusion” only applies when mold is naturally occurring. In other words, if not for the covered peril, the mold would not have occurred from water intrusion, then the claim should be covered.
Louisiana courts have held that insurance contracts should be broadly interpreted in favor of expanding coverage with exclusions and limitations narrowly construed. Despite their knowledge of this, bad faith insurance companies wrongfully apply coverage exclusions and deny valid claims.
Preparing to File an Insurance Claim After Hurricane Laura
Business and homeowners should do the following when preparing a claim
- Take pictures of the damage from as many angles as possible. Including pictures of your dwelling, contents and other structures.
- Keep a record (journal) of communication with the insurance company and representatives (adjusters).
- Make a detailed list of your damaged personal or business property.
- Keep all invoices and receipts, including gas, food, emergency doctors’ visits, etc.
- Keep records of your additional living expenses, including hotels, apartment or rental home, and utilities.
You have a duty to limit or mitigate additional damage to your property. You do not need to completely repair or restore your property before settlement. However, practical measures need to be made to limit additional damage. Examples include tarping your roof to prevent additional water and element damage, remove water damaged drywall, and flooring (within reason) to prevent mold growth.
If you feel your insurance company is needlessly delaying, underpaying, or denying your insurance claim, you may need the help of an experienced insurance claims attorney to get the compensation you deserve.
Call Lundy Lundy Soileau & South (337) 439-0707 for a free consultation.
We are here to help.
Practice Areas
Related Pages and Articles
