The combination of the 150 miles per hour winds and a 15-foot storm surge made Hurricane Ian one of the costliest storms to hit both Florida and the United States as a whole. As the extent of the destruction becomes fully known, estimates are rising as to the total damages from the storm. The Insurance Information Institute has estimated that the total losses to insured property owners will top $60 billion. The numbers, which were originally at $40 billion right after the storm, are continuing to rise.

An already stretched insurance industry may do everything that it can to minimize payments that it makes. Many homeowners are now facing the perfect storm, struggling to rebuild amidst surging costs and stubborn insurance companies.

As in many storms, insurance companies may argue that they do not need to cover certain damages that they believed were caused by floods. The problem with Hurricane Ian is that damage was almost equally divided between wind and flooding.

Here, contractors may have much leverage over everyone when it comes to Hurricane Ian claims. Homeowners are competing for a limited number of contractors to perform immediate short-term repairs. In turn, contractors are competing for a shrinking pool of laborers. All of this comes when the price of building materials have sharply risen due to inflation.

We expect insurance companies to try to make up some of their losses at the expense of policyholders. With everyone pointing the finger at each other, it may be left to homeowners to fight for themselves to get the money that they deserve.

Contact a Florida Homeowner & Commercial Property Insurance Claims Attorney Today

Diane Zimmerman PA helps homeowners get the maximum possible recovery when they are dealing with difficult insurance companies. To learn more about how we can help, call us today at 866.210.0145 or send us a message online.