Natural disasters like fires and floods are more common than ever due to the effects of climate change on cities. Buying home insurance is mandatory, but it has also become more complex and more expensive than ever.
Premiums are rising in response to the increased frequency and severity of disasters. The insurance industry has never been overly eager to pay out large settlements, but they’re currently more tight-fisted than ever. This has devastating effects on homeowners.
It’s in this context that many homeowners are seeking the professional expertise of an insurance lawyer, someone incentivized to work for you, not the insurance company, to help them navigate a home insurance claim. Please read on to learn how they can help you.
Better Paperwork, Sooner
Homeowners need to contact their insurance company right after a disaster strikes their home. Otherwise, the company could claim a delay which would invalidate or reduce the claim. However, if there’s any time when a person isn’t in the mood to sort through and punctiliously file paperwork, it’s after their home is damaged or ruined. This is an emotional time where your focus is on where you and your family will live and how this affects your life immediately.
Expert insurance lawyers like ViraniLaw.ca will be by your side during this sensitive and important time to ensure all your paperwork is submitted correctly and promptly. They know which tricks insurance companies use to wriggle their way out of paying you what you deserve, and they help you push back by ensuring your paperwork is airtight and submitted in a timely manner so as to not risk your full recovery.
They will also help prepare your Proof of Loss and other forms of evidence pertaining to property damage, like before-and-after videos and photographs, and the schedule of loss listing your content claim.
Experienced Negotiators
The immediate aftermath of a natural disaster is a sensitive time for a homeowner. Who wouldn’t rush to secure what financial assistance they could?
Professional insurance lawyers help you negotiate a larger settlement than you’d get on your own because of their specialized experience in navigating insurance claims of all kinds and fact patterns. They know a bad offer when they see one and know which strategies can be used and when to get the insurance company to pay more than their initial low offer.
Insurance lawyers can also help you avoid traps you may not suspect. For example, some insurance companies will make a first offer conditional upon it being the final one. The companies hope that, out of desperation, you accept less than you’re entitled to and that you won’t be savvy enough to notice the trick. Insurance companies may also want to question you about the loss, which opens you up to the risk that coverage is denied if you are not prepared properly.
Clarity During Hardship
Losing one’s physical home is emotionally draining, even for people with ample home insurance coverage. The insurance process can be unnerving for those who do get their full claim covered, never mind those who do not.
Insurance lawyers help provide clarity and guidance during a period of upheaval. They will explain the details of your coverage in full so you understand what you’re entitled to and what options you have for the future. Your insurance coverage policy is a contract, and it’s their job to ensure the fine print works in your favour, not against you.
Buying home insurance is all but a legal requirement. However, there are many different types, and some people find out only when it’s too late that they’re not as covered as they thought they were. Whatever your policy, hiring an insurance lawyer will make the process smoother, and you’ll likely get a larger settlement.
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