Catastrophe Response Hurricane Michael How to Handle Your Hurricane - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Catastrophe Response

Hurricane Michael

How to Handle Your Hurricane & Windstorm Claim

Notify Your Insurer Document Damages Hire a Public Insurance Adjuster (PA) or Contractor (GC) Complete a Proof of Loss Form *Highly Recommend* Contact an Insurance Attorney

P: (844) 662-7552 | E: messages@mma-pllc.com | A: 411 N. Sam Houston Prkwy, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77060

Hurricane & Windstorm (Cont’d)

Notify Your Insurer

• Call your insurance agent or insurance

carrier’s claim department

• Click here for a list of carrier telephone

numbers listed alphabetically Document Damages

• We know it’s difficult seeing your home or

business in a wreck; however, we recommend documenting damages prior to cleaning up

• Pics & videos via a smartphone will do the

trick

• You’ll be surprised how often carrier’s

deny or underpay hurricane claims

P: (844) 662-7552 | E: messages@mma-pllc.com | A: 411 N. Sam Houston Prkwy, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77060

Hurricane & Windstorm (Cont’d)

Hire a PA or GC

• Be sure to hire a public adjuster well

versed in windstorm & hurricane estimates

• Be sure to hire a general contractor well

versed in windstorm and catastrophe cleanup/repair; the GC should provide you with a bid

• Never estimate your own loss

Complete a Proof of Loss Form

• Many carriers now have a clause in their

policies necessitating a proof of loss for the claim to be valid

• Ask the carrier’s adjuster for their

template; be sure to ask for any additional claim forms they may need you to fill out

• By law, these must be sent to you within a

specified time period after reporting

P: (844) 662-7552 | E: messages@mma-pllc.com | A: 411 N. Sam Houston Prkwy, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77060

Hurricane & Windstorm (Cont’d)

CONTACT AN INSURANCE ATTORNEY

• After hurricanes hit, insurance CAT (catastrophe) response teams are sent
• ut to mitigate losses
• After a certain threshold (value $) is reached, these CAT teams begin

denying or grossly underpaying claims

• Out goes their care for policyholders, in comes their bad faith acts
• Ultimately, an insurance company is a business and is more interested in

saving money and pleasing their shareholders than upholding their contractual promises.

P: (844) 662-7552 | E: messages@mma-pllc.com | A: 411 N. Sam Houston Prkwy, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77060

How to Handle Your Flood Claim

Notify Your Insurer Submit a Formal Notice of Claim Hire a Public Insurance Adjuster (PA) or Contractor (GC) Complete a Proof of Loss Form *Highly Recommend* Contact an Insurance Attorney Submit a Formal Appeal to FEMA

P: (844) 662-7552 | E: messages@mma-pllc.com | A: 411 N. Sam Houston Prkwy, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77060

Flood Claim (Cont’d)

Notify Your Insurer

• Call your insurance agent or insurance

carrier’s claim department

• Click here for a list of carrier telephone

numbers listed alphabetically Submit a Formal Notice of Claim

• Click here to download a template
• Fill out the form & submit it to your flood

insurance carrier via mail, e-mail, or fax

• Do NOT estimate loss or casualty. If the

carrier requests an estimation, tell them you will hire a PA or GC

P: (844) 662-7552 | E: messages@mma-pllc.com | A: 411 N. Sam Houston Prkwy, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77060

Flood Claim (Cont’d)

Hire a PA or GC

• Be sure to hire a public adjuster well

versed in flood estimates

• Be sure to hire a general contractor well

versed in water damage and catastrophe cleanup/repair; the GC should provide you with a bid

• Never estimate your own loss

Complete a Proof of Loss Form

• Many carriers now have a clause in their

policies necessitating a proof of loss for the claim to be valid

• Click here for FEMA’s proof of loss form.

Your carrier may have their own proof of loss template

P: (844) 662-7552 | E: messages@mma-pllc.com | A: 411 N. Sam Houston Prkwy, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77060

Flood Claim (Cont’d)

Contact an Attorney

• If your claim was fully or partially denied or

severely underpaid, contact an attorney

• Makes sure the attorney is well versed in

property insurance disputes AND catastrophe losses such as hurricanes

• Statute of Limitations on flood claims is

ONE year Submit a Formal Appeal to FEMA

• Submit an appeal to FEMA within 60 days
• f your insurer partially or fully denying

your claim

• Also submit the proof of loss, PA estimate
• r GC bid, and all other supporting

documentation

P: (844) 662-7552 | E: messages@mma-pllc.com | A: 411 N. Sam Houston Prkwy, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77060

Appraisal

• Most policies now have an appraisal

clause

• Consult with your PA, GC, or attorney

prior to invoking appraisal

• Appraisal can be invoked by either party at

any time

P: (844) 662-7552 | E: messages@mma-pllc.com | A: 411 N. Sam Houston Prkwy, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77060

Life of a Claim in Litigation

P: (844) 662-7552 | E: messages@mma-pllc.com | A: 411 N. Sam Houston Prkwy, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77060

• PA / Contractor
• Attorney

Contract

• Process Intake

Policyholder is grossly underpaid or denied their claim.

• LOR / Demand
• Reinspection
• Attempt Pre-Lit

Settlement

Pre-Litigation

• File Lawsuit
• Mediate > Settle

OR

• Trial > Settle

Litigation

Life of a Claim – Thorough Outline (Click Here)

Our Team

James M. McClenny, Founding Partner

• J. Zachary Moseley, Founding Partner

Ambar L. B. Istre, V.P. of Operations Jessica Sloat, V. P. of Marketing Derek L. Fadner, Associate Attorney Heather E. Hall, Associate Attorney Sean M. Patterson, Associate Attorney Aremis Pastrana, Paralegal to Derek Guadalupe M. Torres, Paralegal to Heather Adrienne L. Jackson, Paralegal to Sean Isis E. Rodriguez, Legal Assistant WWW.MMA-PLLC.COM

P: (844) 662-7552 | E: messages@mma-pllc.com | A: 411 N. Sam Houston Prkwy, Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77060