Rebuilding After the Damage From Hurricane Beryl
Those who lived through Hurricane Beryl will not soon forget its fury or the destruction left in its wake. Beryl was the earliest-forming storm to reach Category 5 intensity. It made landfall in the United States as a Category 1 hurricane near Matagorda, Texas. The storm is believed to have caused 70 fatalities and nearly $7 billion in damage.
Texas saw devastating wind damage with 80 mph winds at landfall and speeds of up to 107 mph near Lake Charles, La Porte and Baytown, Texas. However, Beryl’s effects were felt far beyond the state. Numerous tornadoes were reported in Kentucky, New York, and Ontario. Over 110 tornado warnings connected to Hurricane Beryl were issued on July 8, the most for a single day since 2005.
Insurance Claims Following Hurricane Damage
An insurance policy is a contract. In return for paying your premiums and complying with the policy’s terms, your insurance provider is supposed to provide coverage for your losses when disaster strikes. Families in hurricane-prone areas depend on their insurers to pay claims when storms like Beryl destroy their homes and property.
Storms like Beryl can be just as disastrous for insurers as for property owners. These companies incur a loss whenever they must pay a client’s claim. When numerous clients submit costly claims at once, the financial impact on the insurance company is immense.
As a result, insurers look for ways to limit their losses, similar to how a homeowner might board up their house to mitigate the storm’s damage. Companies do this by looking for ways to deny clients’ claims for coverage. If a company cannot deny a claim outright, they might try to underpay or delay having to pay it as long as possible.
The Effects of Wrongful Insurance Denials
When insurance companies engage in this behavior, their covered clients suffer. If your claim is delayed, underpaid or denied, you might not be able to repair your home or even meet your daily needs. This frustration is piled on top of your personal suffering from losing your home and normal way of life.
How an Experienced Storm Damage Attorney Helps You
Your insurance provider should not get to play fast and loose with your benefits. When you have suffered a covered loss in a hurricane or other storm, your insurer should treat you fairly and pay your covered claim promptly.
If your provider is acting in bad faith, consider speaking to a knowledgeable storm damage lawyer. Aggressive legal representation can mean the difference between battling endlessly with your insurer and receiving the help you need.
Attorney Clint Brasher of Brasher Law Firm, PLLC, has been right where you are. He experienced firsthand the difficulty of getting compensation after Hurricane Rita damaged his property.
With more than 20 years of experience, our attorneys are qualified to handle even the most complicated case, and you will not owe attorney fees unless we get you compensation above and beyond what your insurance company initially offered.
One of the most common questions people ask is, “if I already received a check from insurance, can I cash it?”. The answer is yes. Go ahead and cash it and use it to start making the repairs you can to your property. However, accepting that money does not mean your claim is over. Many clients come to us because the money from insurance isn’t enough to repair the damage. That’s where we can help.
Brasher Law Firm, PLLC, is on your side if your insurer is not treating you fairly. Our bad-faith insurance attorneys have been recognized as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer by the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and named one of the top 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in the country by Lawdragon for four years in a row. Complete our contact form or give us a call at 855-592-5980 for a free, no obligation consultation to learn about your options.