The insurance lawyers in Metairie, Louisiana at the Houghtaling Law Firm, LLC can help you with a range of insurance issues. Our attorneys can help litigate bad faith, fight insurance companies when they delay or deny a claim, or negotiate with insurance adjusters to help you get the fair settlement you may deserve under the law. Every insurance claim process will be unique to your situation. For example, is the property for which you are making a claim your home or a business? Do you have flood insurance or do you not have any additional riders? Do you have a high deductible or no deductible? All of these factors can influence the outcome of your insurance claim.
The Houghtaling Law Firm, LLC is an insurance law firm in Metairie, Louisiana that can assist you with the following aspects of your property damage claim:
- We can review your insurance policy, look at the damages your property has sustained, and estimate a fair settlement amount.
- We can negotiate with insurance adjusters by presenting them with proper evidence and documentation to support your claim. In many cases, insurance companies are willing to settle outside of court when there is proper documentation for the settlement you are requesting.
- If we cannot settle your case outside of court, we can take your case to court or seek damages in small claims court.
- We can also review your situation to determine whether your insurance company acted in bad faith.
If your claim is being wrongfully denied, if you are facing pushback from insurance companies, or if you are being told your policy doesn’t cover your damages, the Houghtaling Law Firm, LLC may be able to help. Our insurance lawyers in Metairie, Louisiana can review your situation and guide you on the next steps. You are not alone.
Insurance Denial Lawyers in Metairie, Louisiana
The Houghtaling Law Firm, LLC is an insurance denial law firm in Metairie, Louisiana that works with property owners who have had their property damage claims denied. Why do claims get denied? There are several reasons why a claim might be denied:
- If you failed to file your claim on time or report damage in a timely manner, your insurance company may claim that you haven’t met the deadline.
- If you failed to pay premiums on time, your insurance company may claim that you actually didn’t have insurance at the time of the accident.
- If your insurance company or adjuster claims you made false statements when seeking insurance that misrepresented your property or if they claim that your statements in your proof of loss forms were not accurate, you could also face a denied claim or even cancelled insurance.
- Another reason why insurance companies deny claims is when they say you haven’t provided sufficient documentation to support your loss. This can happen if property or valuables in your home were lost, damaged, or stolen, and you don’t have receipts or proof you owned this property.
- Insurance companies may also refuse to pay a claim if they believe you didn’t take steps to prevent additional losses or the loss in the first place. For example, if your door fell off its front hinge and you never replaced it, and then your home was robbed, your insurance company could claim that your negligence made a robbery more likely, and deny the claim. Another situation where this could be an issue is after a hurricane or wind damage. If your roof is damaged or a window is broken, you may need to make repairs or secure the roof and your property before your settlement is paid. Why? If you fail to do so, water can get into your home causing additional damage. Your insurance company may refuse to pay for this additional damage.
- Finally, if your policy has fine print of exclusions, this could also lead to denial of coverage. Insurance companies take steps to protect their bottom lines, and the first place they do this is in the policy itself. For example, when it comes to water damage, if you don’t have flood damage and your home is flooded you could face serious challenges making ANY water damage claim. If you don’t have flood damage, and your home was flooded and your roof blew off, you might not be able to seek damages for water damage related to the blown roof, even if it is covered. Why? Some insurance companies include fine print in the policy that excludes water damage if two causes of damage could have led to the water damage. Sometimes homeowners are protected under water damage clauses, but insurance companies push back, claiming that a damage was due to a flood. This is where claims can get complicated.
So what can you do to protect your rights, given all these “loopholes” that insurance companies have? Some simple things you can do is to make sure that you file all claims promptly and that you make copies of all documentation you send to your insurance company. Make sure you pay your premiums on time, and make sure you understand your policy when you get it. Do you know what your deductible is? Do you know what is and isn’t covered? Have you made special provisions if you own very expensive items to ensure that they are covered? Perform regular maintenance on your home and repair your roof on time when it reaches the end of its working “life.” Many items in your home have a reasonable amount of time they are expected to work at which point they need maintenance. Keep records of repairs and the life of these items. Roofs, pipes, and major appliances should all be included in this document.
When making a claim, make copies of all documents you provide to insurance companies and try to do as much of your correspondence in writing as you can. If you must talk on the phone, make sure you follow up in writing so there is documentation of everything. This “paper trail” can help your insurance denial lawyer if your claim is denied.
Finally, if your claim is being denied and you think your insurance company or adjuster is acting in bad faith, the insurance denial lawyers in Metairie, Louisiana at the Houghtaling Law Firm, LLC may be able to help you. Our insurance claim denial lawyers can review the reasons for your denial and fight back.
Insurance Claim Lawyers in Metairie, Louisiana
Has your property been significantly damaged after a hurricane or storm? Will you need to completely need to rebuild your home? Are you facing a total loss in your property damage claim or need to seek the maximum amount your policy covers? If this is the case, you can expect to need to provide detailed documentation, to face serious scrutiny from your insurance company, and even to struggle with pushback. The bigger the loss, the more challenge you can expect when making a claim.
If you have suffered significant damage after a major hurricane or if your home experienced unexpected damages, the insurance claim lawyers in Metairie, Louisiana at the Houghtaling Law Firm, LLC may be able to help. The more significant the damages and more expensive the loss, the more proof you may need to submit and the more “hoops” you might need to jump. You don’t need to navigate this process alone. The Houghtaling Law Firm, LLC in Metairie, Louisiana is an insurance claim law firm that can help you every step of the way.
If your insurance claim has been denied, an insurance claim denial lawyer in Metairie, Louisiana may also be able to help. The Houghtaling Law Firm, LLC can review your policy, review your damages, and offer you an honest assessment of the next steps. We are here to help.
Underpaid Insurance Claim Lawyers in Metairie, Louisiana
Is the settlement being offered for property damages lower than your repair costs? After taking account your deductible, do you still need to pay more out of pocket? If your insurance claim is underpaid, the underpaid insurance claim lawyers in Metairie, Louisiana at the Houghtaling Law Firm, LLC may be able to help. Our underpaid insurance claim lawyers can review the damages, review the estimates contractors have made, look at your policy for exclusions, and fight to help you get the best possible settlement under the law.
There are many reasons why property damage claims might be underpaid. Property damage claims might be underpaid if insurance companies use estimates or algorithms that fail to take into account accurate or up-to-date costs of repairs. Sometimes costs of repairs can go up, either due to inflation or due to cost of labor. Sometimes insurance companies may not take into account waste, the cost of certain specialty materials, or other factors. The underpaid insurance claim lawyers in Metairie, Louisiana at the Houghtaling Law Firm, LLC can look at your insurance claim from every angle. From looking at current labor costs to looking at the real costs of your repairs. We can fight for your rights. Contact us today.