insurance litigation attorney

Hurricane Preparation Tips

RRBHLAWZENHurricane damage, Property Insurance

Hurricane season is upon us so keep these tips on hand to make sure you’re prepared. General Hurricane Preparation Tips: Fill Ziploc-type plastic bags ¾ full of water and stuff them in every corner of your freezer. You want them to freeze while you have electricity. It might take a couple of days for them to freeze. Nothing is lost if you don’t get the storm. Fill up with gas Get cash Fill your prescriptions Wash your clothes and dishes Take photos of every room and the outside of your house. Upload them to the cloud, or email them to yourself in Gmail, Hotmail, etc. Also take photographs of important papers, ID cards, the information in your wallet and contact information. Upload or email those photos as well. Get a rabbit-ears type TV antenna so you can watch TV if the cable goes out. Try it out now. The antennas are cheap, and the TV is free. Gather up toys and games and put them in one place. In case you have to leave home, you will want them to keep the kids entertained. Know if you are in an evacuation zone. Contact your county emergency management office online or …

Sun shining through clouds in Miami

Mold in the Home: Will Insurance Pay for This Health Hazard?

RRBHLAWZENHomeowners' Insurance, Insurance Litigation, Property Insurance

In mid-September of last year, southern Florida experienced the power that remained of Hurricane Irma. Though only a category 2 hurricane when it made landfall in the contiguous United States, the damage that the storm caused reached over $50 billion and cost 90 people their lives. Irma has long since dissipated, her wreckage cleared, but she has left many people to deal with a serious health risk: mold in the home. Many in Florida will be feeling the effects—possibly for years to come, if Hurricane Katrina was any indication—of the mold spores that implanted themselves in the drywall, carpet, and wood of countless homes and businesses. These spores remain like a memory of Irma’s damage. What this means for homeowners is that if left unchecked, mold can take over and make a home uninhabitable. And that means fixing the problem is of the utmost importance. So how will you pay to fix your mold in the home problem? Let’s take a look at, first, why it is such a serious issue, and then, what to do if your insurance provider denies your claim. Why Mold in the Home is Serious There are many strains of mold, some extremely toxic and …

storm damage

Assignment of Benefits Reform: Why Homeowners Are in Trouble

RRBHLAWZENHomeowners' Insurance, Insurance Litigation, Property Insurance

The new assignment of benefits, or AOB, reform could seriously restrict homeowners, their options, and, more importantly, their out-of-pocket costs for property repairs. Hurricane season in Florida. It’s the only thing anyone thinks of when they think of disasters that can occur in The Sunshine State. Many of our friends up north assume our homeowner’s insurance policies are through the roof due to the chance of our homes being picked up and taken away like The Wizard of Oz. For some they are, though not for reasons as severe as the iconic movie depicts. It is true. Hurricanes do decimate many of our beloved cities and cause levels of preparedness not seen in other parts of the country. But there are additional methods of property destruction that frequently occur as well. Cast iron pipe corrosion causing pipe bursts King tides flooding our properties Wind damage to windows, roofs, and pool enclosures In recent years, we have all seen the onslaught of contractors banging on doors and ringing phones to try to win the repair jobs. And while there’s nothing wrong with contractors getting work done—and getting it done quickly—insurance companies are not happy. What is an assignment of benefit, or …