Frequently Asked Questions About Your Insurance

When reporting your claim, you should provide a general description of the damage.  You may also be asked to advise when the damage occurred, although with hurricane damage, the insurer is usually already aware of the date of loss.

Ask your insurance agent.  If you cannot obtain a copy from your agent, contact the insurance company directly and ask for a certified copy of the policy.  It is important to specify that you want a certified copy, which means it is a sworn and true copy of your policy.  Your policy provides various provisions outlining your coverages, the duties and obligations of you and the insurer, the policy limits, deductibles, and other pertinent information.

You do not need to have a copy of your policy in order to report a claim to your insurer.  By providing your name and property address, the insurer should be able to identify your policy information.

The insurance company will likely request information and documentation during the claim process. This may include written or verbal requests that should be reasonably related to the claim.  For example, photographs, videos, repair estimates, invoices, documents related to the pre-loss condition of the property (e.g. appraisal inspection reports), a damaged personal property inventory, proof of temporary relocation expenses, and other pertinent documents may be requested.

As referenced below, the insurance company may also request a Proof of Loss form, a recorded statement, and an Examination Under Oath.  The insurer is permitted to request these under the terms of the policy.

This can be difficult to determine.  The insurance company is required to pay you for the amount of loss that is covered by the policy based on the loss payment conditions in the policy.  Sometimes the insurance company is permitted to deduct depreciation from certain items of damage and pay you on an actual cash value (ACV) basis, which means you may not be paid the full amount needed to repair or replace the items.  Other times, the insurance company is required to pay you the full amount of the loss on a replacement cost value (RCV) basis, which means you are owed the amount necessary to repair or replace the items of like kind and quality, without any deduction for depreciation.

The terms of the policy govern these issues, which is why it is so important to obtain a certified copy of your policy.  If you are unsure about whether the insurance company is paying you the correct amount for your loss, it is a good idea to seek legal advice.  Also, use great caution before signing any release as a condition to claim payment.

Florida law provides that your insurance company may be required to pay for your attorney’s fees if you are forced to file a lawsuit and you prevail with a judgment against your insurer.

The attorneys at Perez, Lewis, Thomas, PA will provide you with free and thorough consultation at any point in the claim process.  If you hire us to make sure you are paid everything you are owed by your insurance company, our fees are only paid if we recover for you.