Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
According to news release by Farmers Insurance Group of Companies, including Foremost Insurance, 21stCentury and Bristol West, the company and its subsidiaries are prepared to work with property owners as Hurricane Isaac makes landfall in Southern Florida this weekend and passes through the Florida panhandle, Alabama and Mississippi coasts this week. The worst damage may be to coastal communities like St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota, Spring Hill, Crystal River who get the high winds and water at the edges of the Hurricane and Storm conditions.
Famers Insurance will organize claims adjusters to cover any and all affected areas once Isaac hits land.
Farmers Insurance instructs its customers in Isaac’s anticipated path to stay up to date with the latest weather reports and begin making crucial arrangements.
Appropriate contact numbers for customers with damage after Isaac hits can be found here.
Friday marked the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Andrew, a storm that wreaked havoc on south Florida in 1992. With Hurricane Isaac swiftly approaching, this could be the first hurricane Florida has seen since 2005. If you plan on riding the storm out at your home, make sure you have the following essentials on hand:
• At Minimum, 5 Gallons of Water
• Flashlight with Additional Batteries
• At Least Several Days’ Worth of Non-Perishable Food Items – You Can Never Be
Too Careful
• Battery-Powered Radio with Extra Batteries On Hand
• Cell Phone Along with Chargers
• Have an Evacuation Plan Set in Place and Follow Any Evacuation Orders
While you may think that you have your emergency kit ready for when Hurricane Isaac strikes, the Florida Hurricane & Storm Damage Attorneys at Whittel & Melton would like to remind you of the preparations you may not think about in regards to making a hurricane claim on your insurance policy. We recommend documenting your home and commercial properties by taking pictures of every room of your house or business. This includes documenting your personal property. Take multiple photographs from multiple angles, so that in the event that your home suffers even slight damage you can be sure that your claim won’t be denied due to lack of documentation. The good thing about photographing your property and personal items is that you should only need to do this once.
It is important to be aware that keeping good records can speed up the settlement of your claim. When compiling your room-by-room inventory, try and record the manufacturer’s names, dates and if at all possible, the price of the items and where they were purchased. If you can, locate your receipts and document the serial numbers, manufacturers’ names, dates of purchase and prices. Make sure you are completely ready for a hurricane or tropical storm by taking the time to document your properties, as this could save you and your family much time and frustration after the storm.
Remember, if your claim is denied after Hurricane Isaac, don’t get discouraged. The Florida Hurricane and Storm Damage Insurance Claims Attorneys at Whittel & Melton can help at any stage of your claims process. Whether your residential or commercial property has been damaged due to a hurricane or storm, we can help you receive the full and fair compensation you as a policyholder are entitled to under the law.
For help with your claim after the storm, contact the Florida Hurricane and Storm Damage Insurance Claims Attorneys at Whittel & Melton online or call us statewide and toll-free at 1-866-608-5529.