Ocala Hurricane and Storm Damage Lawyer

When a hurricane or other type of storm damages your home or property, then you may be wondering how you go about getting repairs done and compensated from your homeowner’s insurance. Many people are surprised to find that their insurance carrier may deny their perfectly legitimate claim or offer far lower than what repair costs total. Our Ocala Hurricane and Storm Damage Claims Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can help you recover what you are rightfully owed from your insurance provider.

The aftermath of a hurricane can be severe. You could be looking at pretty serious repairs due to the following:

• Rain damage
• Hail damage
• Wind damage
• Fallen trees
• Loss of power
• Loss of water
• Roof damage
• Foundation damage
• Garage or porch damage
• Siding damage
• Gutter damage
• Broken or smashed windows
• Damage to vehicles, boats, etc.

Florida has seen its fair share of hurricanes – 120 to be exact, from 1851-2018. Here is the full list of the top 10 states where hurricanes hit most:

1. Florida: 120 hurricanes – 37 of these hurricanes have been Category 3 or higher.
2. Texas: 64 hurricanes – 19 these hurricanes have been Category 3 or higher.
3. North Carolina: 55 hurricanes – 7 of these hurricanes have been Category 3 or higher.
4. Louisiana: 54 hurricanes – 17 of these hurricanes have been Category 3 or higher.
5. South Carolina: 30 hurricanes – 5 of these hurricanes have been Category 3 or higher.
6. Alabama: 24 hurricanes – 5 of these hurricanes have been Category 3 or higher.
7. Georgia: 22 hurricanes – 3 of these hurricanes have been Category 3 or higher.
8. Mississippi: 19 hurricanes – 8 of these hurricanes have been Category 3 or higher.
9. New York: 15 hurricanes – 3 of these hurricanes have been Category 3 or higher.
10. Massachusetts 12 hurricanes – 1 of these hurricanes was a Category 3.

Following a Florida hurricane or tropical storm, you may be scared and overwhelmed. It can be quite stressful to deal with all of the repairs and damage a storm can bring. Just know that our Ocala Hurricane and Storm Damage Claims Lawyers at Whittel & Melton are ready and able to help you out.

Here are some steps you can take to help make the claims process a bit easier on everyone:

• Take pictures and videos of all of the damage to your property. Hurricane season starts June 1 and goes through November 30, so if you can take “before” pictures of your home each year this can be a great help in proving your claim once you have your “after” photos. It is hard to refute photographic or video evidence.
• Go over your insurance policy and know what is covered.
• Keep a file of all running expenses related to repairs to your home, including appraisals, inspections, and the cost of your valuables.
• Contact your insurance prover regarding your property damages and provide the necessary documentation they need to proceed with a claim. Be careful if your insurance company has made you a quick offer that seems low. Remember, they are a business and they want you to settle fast so that they can be free of your claim and pay you as little as possible.
• Contact our Ocala Hurricane and Storm Damage Claims Lawyers at Whittel & Melton so that we can review your insurance company’s offer and fully assess the total dollar amount of damages to your home. We want to help you get fully compensated for ALL the damages done to your property and not just some of them. You can call us in Ocala at 352-726-0078 or contact us online.

If your insurance provider has denied your claim or offered you a small fraction of the total amount of damages, then our Ocala Hurricane and Storm Damage Claims Lawyers at Whittel & Melton can be the legal advocate you need. We have experience handling insurance adjusters and we know their tricks when it comes to limiting or denying claims.

We can review your case and pinpoint what the issue is so that your insurance provider gets you the full and fair compensation you need and deserve. We know that sometimes insurance company’s get finicky about what documents are needed to pay out an insurance damage claim, just so they can pay you less than what you are actually owed.

We urge you to reach out to us if you need help with your hurricane damage claim in Ocala or elsewhere in Marion County, especially if you think your insurance provider is acting in bad faith and trying to take advantage of you.

Let us walk you through the steps of your claim and protect you from any games the insurance company might play as a way to reduce your financial compensation. Call us now at 352-726-0078 or contact us online for a free consultation.