If insurance denies your hurricane damage claim, what you should do is hire legal counsel to fight the denial. Don’t simply accept any insurance company denial or lowball offer at face value. Legal representation strengthens your stance as a policyholder in seeking accountability and maximizing financial relief.
A Louisiana hurricane damage lawyer can conduct a comprehensive investigation, document every aspect of your damages and losses, refute any spurious denials based on facts rather than profits, and negotiate to maximize your rightful recovery.
How an Attorney Can Help With a Denied Hurricane Damage Claim
When your hurricane damage claim has been unjustly denied or underpaid by your insurance provider, having a skilled lawyer in your corner levels the playing field against tactics used by these wealthy corporations.
A Louisiana insurance claims lawyer can provide invaluable assistance in several ways.
Comprehensive Policy Review
A lawyer will analyze your homeowner’s insurance policy line-by-line to identify any questionable grounds for denial by the insurer and counter their stance with precedents that favor your coverage.
Thorough Documentation
A lawyer will meticulously document every aspect of the property damage through reports, photographs, videos, and repair estimates to substantiate the full scope and cost of your losses.
Negotiation
Insurers routinely make lowball settlement offers, counting on policyholders to simply accept out of desperation. An attorney serves as an experienced negotiator adept at pushing back on unfair amounts to maximize your rightful recovery.
Navigating Bad-Faith Tactics
Insurance companies may engage in unlawful delay tactics, harassment, or misrepresentations—otherwise known as bad-faith practices. A lawyer can call out these tactics and demand accountability for any nefarious behavior.
Handling All Communication
By having an attorney manage all contact with the insurance company, you gain peace of mind knowing you have an advocate in your corner.
Expert Witness Resources
A lawyer can hire skilled witnesses to strengthen and validate your claim position, such as a building code expert, damage restoration professional, or forensic accountant.
Litigation Representation
If your insurance company remains unwilling to uphold its obligations after reasonable negotiations, your legal team is fully prepared to take your denial to court to recover appropriate damages through litigation.
From processing the initial denial to beginning litigation, an insurance claims lawyer can coordinate a personalized strategy for your situation. They aim to maximize your recovery while shielding you from bad-faith intimidation tactics.
Laborde Earles injury was great for me they took care of me very fast and professional. If for any reason I need legal help they will be who I use.
ClientWhy Would an Insurance Company Deny a Hurricane Damage Claim?
Paying out legitimate hurricane claims eats into an insurance company’s bottom line. An insurer may go to great lengths to avoid honoring policyholder agreements and providing the full coverage you’re contractually owed.
Typical bad-faith tactics by insurers include:
- Calling storm surge “flood damage” to shift liability
- Using snippets from outdated modeling reports as justification for minimal payouts
- Intentionally misinterpreting vague policy language to provide legal loopholes for claim denials
After the trauma of riding out an intense hurricane, the last thing you should have to suffer is getting stonewalled or tricked by your insurer. Fair claim resolution allows you to focus wholeheartedly on rebuilding your life. An experienced Louisiana hurricane damage claims lawyer can fight back against such unethical tactics.
I thank God for Digger & David. I don’t know what we would have done if it hadn’t have been for them.
Rick Smith | ClientOther Steps to Take if Insurance Denies Your Hurricane Damage Claim
If your homeowner’s insurance provider has demonstrated a pattern of delaying, underpaying, or improperly denying your valid hurricane damage claim in potential violation of state laws, you can take additional steps to hold your insurer accountable.
Aside from retaining the services of a hurricane damage lawyer, you can also contact the Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI) for assistance.
The LDI oversees the conduct and legal compliance of all insurance companies operating within the state. Their mandate includes investigating and enforcing regulations when homeowner complaints indicate an insurer may not be abiding by Louisiana insurance statutes or acting in good faith with policy obligations.
How to Initiate a Complaint With the LDI
To initiate the complaint process against your insurance company for mishandling your hurricane claim, call the department’s complaint hotline. This will open an inquiry, and the department will review documentation provided by both you and your insurer to determine if the company properly followed:
- Louisiana laws governing homeowner’s insurance policies
- The specific terms and coverages listed in your policy
- General standards for good faith claim handling practices
If the department’s investigation finds your insurance company failed to uphold these requirements in the processing of your claim, it can take enforcement actions to compel proper resolution and potential penalties against the insurer.
Document Any Hurricane Damage
You likely submitted photos of your property’s hurricane damage when you initially submitted your insurance claim. Still, continue to document any damage with additional pictures and any other evidence of water damage, debris, or structural damage.
Both your insurance claim lawyer and the LDI can use this as evidence to support your case against your insurer.
The reassurance from Digger and his staff gave me that renewed hope that it’s going to be okay down the road.
ClientIf Insurance Denies Your Hurricane Damage Claim, Call Our Louisiana Hurricane Damage Lawyer
Few things are more distressing than having your home and belongings ravaged by the destructive forces of a hurricane, only to then have your insurance provider unjustly deny or lowball your damage claim. If you are wondering what to do if insurance denies your hurricane damage claim, Laborde Earles can help.
Our attorneys can safeguard you against bad-faith insurance tactics and work to get these billion-dollar companies to uphold their end of the bargain. Let the Louisiana-based Laborde Earles team fight for you to receive every available dollar you deserve. Call us today!
