If you’ve ever experienced the nightmare of filing a homeowner’s Insurance claim, you know how much time and stress it can take up from your life. In addition to dealing with the financial impacts of the damage or loss, you may also have to deal with an insurance company that doesn’t follow through on their promises or refuses to cover what they said they would in your policy. To make matters worse, you might feel like you have no legal recourse because you didn’t consult an attorney when you purchased your policy or when you filed your claim.
How to Choose an Attorney
We have put together a checklist for you to use when choosing your homeowners insurance claim attorney. If you would like to save some time, fill out our online contact form and we will guide you through the steps. The top questions to ask before selecting your attorney are:
– Do they offer free consultations?
– Are they specialized in homeowner’s insurance claims?
– What is their experience with homeowner’s insurance claims? – How do they charge their clients? Will they take your case on contingency basis or by hourly rates? Can they offer you specific guidance on getting additional money from the homeowner’s insurance company that is not covered by your policy? Can they provide detailed explanations of what a reasonable settlement should be based on the law and facts in your case? These are all important considerations to make when hiring an attorney.
3 Things You Need To Know About Your Policy
Do you have your homeowners insurance claim attorney on speed dial? While many people go straight to their insurer first thing when a natural disaster strikes, filing a claim is only as good as the lawyer that you hire. Here are 10 things you need to know about your policy and what will happen if you don’t call in your lawyer:
- You can speak with an attorney before filing a homeowner’s insurance claim. There is no cost to speak with one either. What this means is that it’s very possible for them to clear up any confusion before proceeding and help make sure there are no mistakes with the paperwork or errors during phone calls.
- If you choose not to file a homeowner’s insurance claim with an attorney, then your insurer may not be obligated to pay out the full amount on your policy. A lot of these policies also stipulate that they won’t pay out at all if lawyers were hired early enough into the process. That’s why it’s so important to get advice from an expert before making any decisions about whether or not to proceed without counsel.
- Some homeowner’s insurance claims require more than just hiring someone who knows how to read legal documents and fill out forms correctly- they require a specialist who has experience with those kinds of cases too.
What You Need to Do After a Loss
After a loss, there are a number of steps you should take to protect your rights. First, you’ll want to get your insurance claim started. We can help with that. Once you’ve done that, gather any documentation related to the loss and keep in a safe place; this includes receipts, photos and videos as well as your homeowner’s insurance policy. These documents may come in handy during any negotiations or litigation so it’s best to have them in one place for easy access. Contact us for more information about what else to do after a loss. How Do I Get Started?
Homeowner’s insurance claims typically require the assistance of a professional to ensure the process goes smoothly. So when filing a homeowners insurance claim following a loss, contact local professionals like those at No Risk Advocates who have experience working with these types of cases.
How Much Does It Cost?
Every policy is different, so it’s difficult to pin down an exact number. However, most insurance companies that offer homeowners insurance will require a minimum deductible to be met before they’ll cover anything at all; that means you can expect your policy to cover about 5% of your claim for damage or theft. A standard rate for filing a claim with an attorney varies between 10-20%. For example, if your deductible is $1000 and you need $500 in repairs, it would cost $100 in fees ($100+$200) to file a claim with an attorneys help. If this estimate sounds steep and you decide not to seek legal assistance, know that you can always dispute charges on your own. All disputes are handled by your homeowner’s insurance company, who has 30 days to respond back with their decision. The company will either send someone out to inspect the issue (which could lead to additional repair costs), reject your claim outright, or offer you a settlement package which includes money for repairs and other expenses. After gathering information from both parties, a mediator from the insurer will make a final decision based on what they deem as fair. The one downside? You’re taking all of the risk by doing it yourself.
A quick call to an attorney can protect you from these potential dangers!
Types of Damages
It is possible that something could happen to your home that would not be covered by insurance, such as theft or vandalism. However, there are some losses that may be fully covered under your homeowners insurance, such as roof damage from a storm or flood. If you are dealing with damages to your home caused by a fire and need to file a claim, there are certain provisions within a standard homeowner’s policy that could entitle you to coverage. For example, if you were hosting a gathering in your home and had cooking equipment like gas grills on the premises; it’s likely that your insurance company will cover this type of loss. Likewise, if someone lit a cigar in their car then drove away before it went out on its own accord, this incident can also qualify for coverage because it happened at your property. For more information about what might or might not be covered by your homeowners insurance company after an event like this occurs to your property contact an attorney today.
