5 Reasons a fire damage claim may be denied in Punta Gorda

Punta Gorda, FL – Most Florida homeowners get insurance to be protected if a tropical storm or hurricane hits. However, there are many other types of perils that may damage or completely destroy your house. Everyone has experienced at some point a small mishap in the kitchen. Burning a steak is not such a big deal, but there’s always the risk the fire will engulf the whole kitchen and then the rest of your house. Or, a faulty appliance may lead to a devastating fire. Fire damage is covered under a standard home insurance policy, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be compensated for your financial losses. If your insurer refuses to pay your damages or tries to minimize the value of your claim, don’t hesitate to contact experienced homeowners insurance claim lawyers in Punta Gorda.

What are the main reasons a fire damage claim may be denied?

Sometimes an insurance company has serious reasons to deny a fire damage claim, but most often they don’t. Let’s have a look at the most common reasons your fire damage claim may be denied. We’ll also tell you when to seek help from knowledgeable homeowners insurance claim lawyers and when not.

Lapsed policy

Maybe you were going through a difficult time and you didn’t pay your premium on time. You were going to pay everything you owed next month, but then there was a kitchen fire. In such a situation, don’t expect the insurance company to pay anything. They will declare your policy lapsed and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Suspected arson

This is one of the most common reasons insurance companies use to deny a perfectly legitimate fire damage claim. They’ll accuse you of deliberately setting the fire and hope you’ll be too scared to pursue the claim any further. This is a very tricky situation. However, seasoned homeowners insurance claim lawyers point out that it is the insurance company that must prove the fire was deliberate. You don’t have to prove your innocence. It’s them who must show when and how you set the fire.

Defective workmanship

The insurance company may use this to deny a claim when the fire started after an electric appliance malfunctioned. They may claim the electric wiring in your house was faulty, to begin with. Maybe you hired a cheap crew to do the work or they lacked the proper license. In any case, they’ll say it was all your fault so they don’t owe you anything.

Contact well-versed Florida homeowners insurance claim lawyers and they’ll refer you to an independent fire investigator who can offer a second opinion on what happened and why.

Damage disputes

When the firemen come they’ll use a lot of water to extinguish the flames and this can cause a lot of additional damage. The insurance company may claim they’ll only pay for the damage directly caused by the fire, but not for the damage caused by water. Speak with a good lawyer right away. They’ll examine your policy to see if there’s any exclusion in your policy that allows the insurer to do that.

Valuation disputes

The insurance company may deny your fire damage claim because they consider the repair costs excessive. They may tell you that you must work with a certain contractor. This is against the law. You have the right to work with whomever you want. Talk to several contractors and get estimates so you can prove to the insurance adjuster the costs you first submitted are quite reasonable.

If your insurance company is denying, delaying, or minimizing the value of your claim, reach out to a trustworthy insurance claims lawyer at Madalon Law and see how you can recover your losses.

Contact info:

Madalon Law

Fort Lauderdale Office

Phone: (954) 923-0072

100 N. Federal Hwy #CU5

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301