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Hurricanes, natural disasters, and other severe weather events take their toll on coastal and inland properties in the Carolinas. Property owners feel the financial effects of extreme weather as their property and casualty insurance rates go up and insurers impose higher deductibles and lower retention rates. Unfortunately, those higher insurance premiums do not guarantee coverage when floods, fires, or hurricane-force winds damage real property.
When you need to make a significant disaster claim under your property and casualty insurance policy, a North Carolina property damage lawyer from Rhine Law Firm in Wilmington can help you get the largest reimbursements available–according to your policy’s terms and conditions. We challenge low offers from claims adjusters and pursue every dollar a property owner is entitled to recover to rebuild damaged property.
What Types of Property Damage Claims Might Be Covered by Insurance?
Many North Carolina property and casualty insurance policies cover losses caused by:
- Hurricanes — including flooding and water infiltration, wind-damaged roofs, siding, and windows, and damage to the interior contents of a property.
- Fires started by lightning, electrical flaws, or wildfires (North Carolina experiences heavy wildfire activity in the Spring and Fall) and the resulting smoke and structural damage.
- Flooding from heavy rains or backed-up sewers.
- Mold infestation and damage from wildlife.
However, these and other losses will be covered if they are included as covered events in an insurance policy. An insurance policy is a complex contract consisting of riders, exclusions, and limitations. Further, it might impose strict conditions on how and when claims can be made. Even if your insurance agent tells you that your policy covers a loss event, you will not have coverage if the policy language excludes it.
If you have any doubts or questions about the extent of your coverage, consult Rhine Law Firm. We can review your policy and verify that you are protected against potential disasters and other risks.
What Is the Property Insurance Claims Process?
Claims adjusters are trained to be meticulous in their damages estimates, which can lead to lower disbursements than a property owner might expect.
An adjuster, for example, might argue that:
- Damaged items can be cleaned and reused rather than replaced.
- The property was damaged before the event that generated the claim, and pre-existing damage is not covered as part of the claim.
- Reconstruction contractors should use less expensive, lower-grade materials to rebuild damaged structures.
- Payments need to be delayed while further investigations are conducted (this puts pressure on the property owner to accept a lower payment sooner in the process).
- Damage was caused by a condition that the policy does not cover.
Suppose two separate but sequential events cause damage, e.g., a hurricane destroys a property structure, and a later rainstorm causes extreme water damage. In that case, a policyholder may be able to file two separate claims, each of which would be eligible for reimbursement up to policy limits. An adjuster might argue, however, that only a single claim is available.
The property damage lawyers at Rhine Law Firm have encountered these and other tactics from property and casualty insurance companies. We investigate each claim and use our knowledge of North Carolina insurance law and regulations to push back and get our clients the money they need to rebuild their property.
Call the Rhine Law Firm for a Free Consultation
The property damage attorneys at the Rhine Law Firm offer representation and assistance to North Carolina property owners whose homes have been damaged or destroyed by natural disasters, extreme weather events, fire, and other severe casualties. Please call or visit our Wilmington office as soon as you can after a disaster strikes.
If you retain our firm and we accept your case, we will manage all communications with your property and casualty insurer and fight tirelessly to get you the full insurance payments you need. Since we work on a contingency fee basis, you will not pay attorney’s fees unless we win compensation for your losses.
We are proud to serve the people of North Carolina.
Although our primary office location is in Wilmington, North Carolina we represent clients nationally and across the state of North Carolina. Some of the many areas we serve are listed below.
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Working with our firm means your needs will be met and your questions answered by someone who knows your name and the details of your case — every time you call.
Contact Rhine Law Firm, P.C., at (910) 772-9960 for a free initial consultation. Evening and weekend appointments upon request. Office hours 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Evening and weekend appointments also available. We also offer Spanish interpretation and translation services.
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