As a Houston resident, you probably would never expect your home to experience freeze damage. However, when the occasional winter storm hits the area, many homeowners are left with expensive damage throughout their properties. If you have recently suffered freeze damage, then you are familiar with the feelings of vulnerability and desperation as you have sought to limit the impact on your home and belongings while seeking to minimize and cover costs. You should involve an experienced freeze damage claims lawyer when filing your claims or appealing a denial in order to prevent this severe inconvenience from becoming an even larger financial setback.
If your homeowners insurance policy includes coverage for “freezing,” you probably expect your insurer to accept your claim. Unfortunately, insurance companies do not always honor freeze damage claims, and not all water damage that involves “freezing” is covered under homeowners insurance.
Sometimes, insurers deny claims for no reason or fail to pay enough to cover all the damage. If you are facing a claim denial in Texas, you need an experienced freeze damage claims lawyer on your side to help you determine the appropriate steps to seek fair and appropriate compensation.
Winter storms with severely low temperatures can create several types of damage for homes in the area. Many Texas homes are not built to withstand long periods of freezing temperatures, making the damage even more severe.
Here are a few examples of damage to your property that can occur due to freezing temperatures in Texas:
Understand that different types of water damage have their own implications and are handled under different policies. Flooding and sewer backups are entirely different matters from water damage due to frozen pipes that have burst. These three types of water damage should not be confused when speaking with the insurance company. Your freeze damage claims attorney can help you identify the correct path for pursuing an insurance claim.
Contact our experienced Texas freeze damage claims legal team at McLaurin Law today to schedule a free strategy session.
You can review your homeowners insurance policy to determine its exact coverage, and your attorney can assist you if you have questions. “Freezing” is considered an “insurance peril” that can cause damage to fall under homeowners insurance coverage, but the details are complicated, and this is not inclusive of all water damage related to “freezing.” Damage involving flooding or sewer backups are very important exceptions to note.
Water damage from burst pipes should never be described as “flooding,” and doing so when speaking with the insurance company risks invalidating your claim. A flood is something else entirely, and it is typically not covered under homeowners insurance, but rather under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Flood insurance is optional for some, but it can be required for others if they are in high-risk areas.
Sewer backups are yet another type of water damage that can also be associated with freezing, and the distinction between the city sewer system and where service lines connect to your home may come into play. You may have a service line rider added to your policy, but this is not typically included in standard homeowners insurance. Lack of maintenance is a cause of sewer line damage in many instances, and that is generally not covered under homeowners insurance.
Your attorney can help you examine your policy to determine whether you should have coverage for the freeze damage you have experienced before you make any homeowners insurance claims in response to the damage. Contact us today to schedule a free strategy session so we can help you determine the correct next steps before you make a mistake that could jeopardize your ability to recover.
If your insurer has denied your valid freeze and pipe burst insurance claim, your next step is to file an appeal. This process requires the insurance company to reconsider their claim denial after you present new evidence of the damage.
Unless you have extensive insurance experience, you should not attempt to file an appeal without the assistance of an attorney. Your attorney can help you navigate this process effectively.
Before you file your appeal, you and your attorney should gather additional evidence to support your claim. Your attorney can review your homeowners insurance policy and indicate the specific coverage information that makes the insurer’s claim denial invalid.
After filing an appeal, the insurance company will either approve or deny it. If your insurer denies your appeal, you and your attorney can consider a bad faith lawsuit as the next step.
A bad faith insurance lawsuit may be an option in Texas if your insurer did not fulfill the terms of your policy when you made a valid claim or if they did not promptly and properly investigate your claim. Your insurance lawsuit attorney can assess whether a bad faith lawsuit would be appropriate for your claim.
Sometimes policies are misrepresented when they are sold. There are also times when an insurer will deny a valid claim for no good reason or a reason other than the one they cited.
When you file a bad faith lawsuit against your insurance company, you can seek additional damages beyond those specified in your policy terms. For example, you may be able to seek some or all of the following damages:
The damages you can seek will depend on the unique circumstances within your case and the initial value of your insurance claim. Your attorney can determine the proper damages for your case.
It is important to work with a skilled freeze insurance claim lawyer if you will be filing a lawsuit against your insurer. Your attorney can help you gather further evidence to support your claim and the additional damages related to the insurance company’s actions.
Finding out that an insurance company has denied your freeze damage claim can be stressful, frustrating, and disheartening. At McLaurin Law, our qualified freeze damage claims lawyer team has insider understanding of the strategies and tactics used by insurance companies to minimize the claims they pay. We use these powerful insights to help our clients make effective freeze damage claims, appeals, and lawsuits in the Houston area.
Our experienced Texas freeze damage claims attorneys can help you gather evidence to support your claim and walk you through the processes of appealing and filing a lawsuit, as necessary. We can communicate with the insurance company on your behalf and take the stress and burden of seeking fair and appropriate compensation off your shoulders.
Contact our legal team in Houston, TX today to schedule your free strategy session. McLaurin Law — When you need more than luck on your side.
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Typically, the answer to this is absolutely not. Insurance companies are looking out for their own best interests and will try to get you to settle for an offer that is far below what you deserve. At McLaurin Law, we can help you seek an appropriate settlement.
After an accident, you should typically file a claim with the insurance provider of the negligent party who is responsible for your accident. It is important that you move with haste in filing a personal injury claim with the insurance carrier after an injury has occurred. Should a lawsuit eventually become necessary, it is also important to keep in mind that in the state of Texas, you must file a personal injury lawsuit within two years of the date the injury occurred.
Below are some frequently asked questions about Theft and Vandalism Claims:
Commercial insurance policies often cover losses due to vandalism, or the intentional destruction or defacement of property, but will not cover theft or burglary losses. This can be particularly complicated in cases where vandalism leads to the theft of certain items on the premises.
Homeowners’ and renters’ insurance policies generally cover vandalism and theft for residential properties. If you own your home, your homeowners’ policy will cover damage to the structure and your contents or personal belongings. If you rent your home, the property owner’s policy will cover damage to the property, while your renters’ insurance will cover your personal belongings inside the home.
Insurers often don’t like paying claims for damages sustained by their policyholders. They may assess the risks associated with your home or business location and income levels and adjust their coverage limits, so they have a decreased responsibility to pay for damages due to theft or vandalism.
For commercial policyholders, your insurance company may require you to minimize the risk of vandalism or theft. Your insurance company could require you to install security cameras and devices, advanced locking systems, and appropriate lighting. Your insurance company could still require higher coverage limits if your business is in an area that reports an increased number of thefts or vandalism.
There are several reasons your insurance company might deny a claim. A vandalism and theft attorney from our office can help you review your policy and claim denial to determine the following:
A theft and vandalism lawyer with our firm can help you determine which losses listed in your policy best fit the situation and file the appropriate evidence for your claim. Your theft and vandalism claims attorney can also speak with the insurance adjusters on your behalf. Call us at (713) 461-6500 when you need more than luck!
Below are some frequently asked questions about Wind and Hail Damage Claims:
You will need evidence that the damage your home sustained came from wind or hail.
Common signs of wind and hail damage include:
Get an inspection if you suspect your home sustained damage during a recent storm. Roofing contractors with certifications in home inspections will often be willing to mark and take photos of the damage they identify during inspection of your home and roof. A wind and hail damage attorney with our firm can use their reports to fight for approval of your claim with your insurance company.
Call our McLaurin Law wind claims attorney if your home shows signs of wind damage after a hurricane, tropical system, or particularly windy day. We can help you file your claim with your insurance company and represent you when the insurance company’s claims adjuster has additional questions.
Many insurance companies try to deny or underpay claims based on arbitrary rebuttals. For example, if you have both wind and hail damage, they may reject a portion of the claim because you filed a wind claim.
Hail damage often affects roofs more than any other part of the home. Sometimes hail only damages part of a roof, requiring a simple repair. Other times, you’ll have enough roof damage to require a full roof replacement. A McLaurin Law attorney can work closely with your roofer and insurance company to fight for full claim approval.
Insurance companies often deny claims despite ample evidence of legitimate storm damage. When this happens, the next step is to file a lawsuit against the insurance company with the guidance of a wind and hail damage claims attorney. If your insurance company denies your claim, contact us. Call McLaurin Law in Houston, TX, at (713) 461-6500 when you need more than luck!
Your number one priority should be your well-being. Seek out medical advice as soon as possible to ensure that you get the treatment you need. You should also move quickly to consult with an attorney to assist you with your personal injury claim. Critical events occur early in the personal injury claims process—such as interviews with adjusters and early damages assessments—so do not delay speaking with an attorney.
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