As we are less than 100 days away from the start of hurricane season, Floridians should start reviewing their homeowners’ policies. They should know that hurricane damage adjusters are always ready to assist them. Unfortunately, forecasts indicate that this year we will have more than the average number of major storms with names.
We hope that your home will escape the unleashed force of nature unscathed. But it is always better to be prepared and understand why the appraisal of your hurricane damages is so important. And why you should hire a specialist who will work to protect your best interests.
Assessing Hurricane Damage Is a Very Complex Issue
Many hurricane damage adjusters in Florida have experienced the following issue after major weather events. Hiring them can help overturn a severely undervalued insurance claim decision.
In most cases, the insurance adjuster not only ignored several significant types of damages, but even failed to comply with the requirements of Florida Building Code when deciding between repair and replacement costs.
The Impact of Extent of Damage on the Decision to Repair or Replace
Hurricane damage adjusters work 100% by the book – and the book is the Florida Building Code. This states clearly that substantial damage represents the condition where the cost to restore the damage represents 50% or more of the market value of the respective structure before the damage. In this situation, the only fair decision for the homeowner is to replace the respective structure.
Likewise, the definition of substantial structure damage is:
- 20% decrease in the load bearing capacity of lateral force-resisting elements
- 30% decrease in the load bearing capacity of vertical force-resisting elements.
These numbers may not mean a lot to you, but they are very important in determining whether it is safe to repair or rebuild your home. Hurricane damage adjusters can appraise the extent of damage correctly and make sure that the insurer pays the fair amount of money you need to restore your home and make it safe to live in.
Always Rely on Experienced Professionals to Evaluate Your Hurricane Damages
As you can see, there are a lot of technical details in evaluating hurricane damage in full and in a fair manner. Your insurance company, sadly, has no interest in being fair to you. Their main goal is to minimize their payouts – even at the expense of your safety and well-being. Don’t leave it in their hands!
If your home is damaged by a hurricane, contact us and hire us to evaluate your damages accurately and fairly!