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Hurricane Ike Insurance Claim Lawyers

Keywords: IKE | Insurance | Lawyer | Claims | Denials | Lawsuit | Wind | Flood | Damage

The lawyers and attorneys at our firm are offering free case evaluations to individuals who feel their insurance companies have treated them unfairly following Hurricane Ike, by delaying, devaluing or denying their insurance claim.   It is estimated that Hurricane Ike will be the third most costly hurricane for insurers, and could significantly weaken the industry.  Our Hurricane Ike insurance claim lawyers expect that insurance companies will take a tough stance when it comes to approving claims for this disaster, and there is a good chance that some companies will treat their policy holders unfairly.  If your insurance company has not treated your claim honestly, we urge you to contact one of our Hurricane Ike insurance claim lawyers as soon as possible to protect your legal rights.

Hurricane Ike smashed into the Texas Gulf Coast on the morning of September 13, 2008, were it caused extensive damage to many communities, including Galveston and Houston.  The Category 2 storm had sustained winds of 110 miles an hour and a storm surge as high as 20 feet.  At least 2.2 million people were evacuated from the Texas Gulf Coast in the days before the storm, although it is estimated that thousands of others stayed behind.  Early counts put the dead at 37, although there were fears that the number would go higher as rescue workers made their way into remote, coastal areas.

Damage from Hurricane Ike spread from Texas into Louisiana and Mississippi.  Most of the damage was caused by wind and flooding from the storm surge.  As the remnants of Ike moved inland, states in the Midwest and Ohio Valley even reported damage from wind and flooding.  

In the days and weeks following Hurricane Ike's landfall, victims will begin the long process of rebuilding.  That will involve filing claims with their insurance carriers. Insurance companies will be looking to limit their financial exposure in the wake of Ike, and may not settle claims fairly.  Our Hurricane Ike insurance claim lawyers have already helped victims of other storms deal with unscrupulous insurance companies.  We are ready to help the victims of this disaster as well.
 

Hurricane Ike Wind and Flood Damage

It is estimated that Hurricane Ike insurance claims could reach $11 billion.  That would make Hurricane Ike the third most costly hurricane in U.S. history, behind Hurricanes Katrina and Andrew.  It would also be the fifth most expensive insurance event in U.S. history, behind the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the Northridge, Calif., earthquake in 1994, according to the Insurance Information Institute, an industry group.  Another report said Ike is likely to wipe out third-quarter earnings for some property-casualty insurers that have a material amount of business in the affected area.  Our Hurricane Ike insurance claim lawyers know that insurance companies always put profits ahead of policyholders, and we expect a great number of claims to be denied or devalued in this disaster.

When a hurricane occurs, typical homeowner’s and hurricane insurance policies cover damage to the home and damage to the contents in the home from wind. Most policies also provide coverage for “additional living expenses” while the homeowner is out of the house. These additional living expenses pay for a hotel or a rental home while the damaged property is being repaired. Additionally, most policies provide coverage for debris removal and increased costs associated with bringing the home up to code. 

Considering the massive storm surge that accompanied Hurricane Ike, our lawyers believe that the number of flood damage claims from this disaster will be high.  Normal homeowner and hurricane insurance policies do not cover flood damage.  While hurricane claims are governed by state law, flood claims are governed by federal laws.

It is important after a hurricane to assess if damage from to a property is the result of wind or flood.  Often the hurricane insurer will refuse to pay and claim that the damage is due to flood, while the flood insurer will refuse to pay and claim that the damage is due to hurricane.  If an insurance company is disputing the cause of damage to you property, you need one of our Hurricane Ike insurance claim lawyers on your side to make sure you are being treated fairly.

Insurance Company Tactics

Insurance companies are obligated by law to handle claims with good faith and fair dealing. Nearly all states have laws governing how insurers deal with claimants and call for insurers to make a written offer to settle a property damage claim in a timely manner - usually 30 days - after they have received "satisfactory proof of loss" for the claim from a policy holder. Unfortunately, when faced with a disaster like Hurricane Ike that involves billions of dollars in damages, insurance companies often look for ways to avoid paying legitimate claims in order to protect their profits.

Our Hurricane Ike insurance claim lawyers are all too familiar with the tactics insurance companies use to avoid paying claims.  In 2008, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a report that criticized the way the insurance industry handles hurricane damage claims.  Following bitter and widespread complaints from some Gulf Coast homeowners about insurance coverage after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, the GAO urged better assessment of "the accuracy of flood payments on hurricane-damaged properties."   Insurance companies' handling of damage claims from hurricanes, where both wind and water destroy property, needs closer government scrutiny, the report said.

The GAO report also said questions remain about the Federal Emergency Management Agency's approach to flood-damage claims processed by private insurers for the government under its National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).  The GAO urged Congress to empower the agency to examine both wind and water claims data related to hurricane damages. It also said state regulators need to strengthen licensing and training requirements for insurance adjusters.

Insurance companies became notorious after Hurricane Katrina for the tactic they used to deny legitimate property damage claims.  After that disaster, our law firm investigated numerous reports accusing insurance companies of systematically low-balling claims, delaying paying on them or arbitrarily changing the terms of homeowners’ insurance policies.  One of the major tactics that insurance companies used in Katrina was to find that property damage was caused by flooding, and not by wind.  Our Hurricane Ike insurance claim lawyers expect that insurance companies may try some of the same schemes to avoid paying claims from this storm

Legal Help for Victims of Hurricane Ike Insurance Claim Denials

If you or someone you know has had a Hurricane Ike insurance claim denied, or if you believe that your insurance company has devalued your claim or is not treating you fairly in some other way, you have valuable legal rights.  Please fill out our online form, or call 1-800 LAW-INFO (1-800-529-4636) to discuss your case with an experienced Hurricane Ike insurance claim lawyer at our firm.