by: T.Going

Hurricane Insurance Claims

Many homeowners along the Gulf Coast have spent decades making saving up and making mortgage payments on their homes. Unfortunately, hurricanes Rita and Katrina have wreaked havoc on the area and most of the homes in the area are either damaged or destroyed. Most of these homeowners are now learning that their insurance claims are being rejected by their insurance companies – some for unjust reasons.

As insurance companies such as State Farm, Nationwide and Allstate are attempt to send out personnel to hurricane affected areas, the expertise of some adjusters have come into question. So far there have been hundreds of reports of inexperienced adjusters who have been too quick to reject claims. This is causing unnecessary agony for homeowners who now are faced with an uncertain future.

Many homeowners have insurance policies that do not cover flooding damages, but do cover wind damages. Because of Katrina & Rita many properties have now undergone both flood and wind damage. The legal concept behind flood versus wind damage is very complex and requires the analysis of legal professionals. For instance Mississippi has a lawsuit filed against insurance companies that argue that the distinction between flood and wind damage are very ambiguous in homeowners' policies. Because of the complicated legal action involved, the flood versus wind debate will be lengthy and difficult to prove.