Filing an Insurance Claim After a Sinkhole in Fort Lauderdale
According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, a sinkhole can significantly damage your property. The Sunshine State’s limestone bedrock makes sinkholes particularly common in this area, and they can damage foundations beyond repair. If you find yourself in this situation, you might want to file a property insurance claim in Fort Lauderdale. But is this even possible?
What to Do After a Sinkhole Appears on Your Property
The Florida government states that if a sinkhole forms on your property, there may be no reason for concern. Small sinkholes might only need some basic repairs, such as filling the area with sand.
That said, it’s always best to play it safe. If you think that a small sinkhole might be a sign of a much greater issue, you should consider reporting it to your local authorities. You might also want to take pictures of the issue, as this might prove to be valuable evidence when you file a claim.
If possible, you should also take before and after photos. The before photos help show that the damage was not pre-existing, and this could be crucial. This also means that you should take photos even if you have not yet experienced sinkhole damage.
Is Sinkhole Damage Covered by Florida Property Insurance?
Standard homeowners’ insurance policies do not normally cover sinkhole damage in the United States. However, Florida is the only state that makes “catastrophic ground cover collapse” in all policies. In other words, if you have property insurance in Florida, you must also have coverage for sinkhole damage.
However, this does not necessarily mean that your sinkhole claim will be approved. The insurer will probably want to investigate the situation and confirm that the damage was caused by a sinkhole or something else.
If your insurer seems to doubt your story, you might have to take various steps to prove the existence of a sinkhole. The insurer might hire an independent inspector to confirm the presence of a sinkhole, and you might also have the option to hire your own independent engineer.
Insurers understand that this is a common issue. For example, Citizens Insurance has received tens of thousands of sinkhole claims in recent years.
What if My Sinkhole Claim Was Denied?
If your sinkhole claim was denied, an insurance lawyer might be able to help. A denial is not the end of the road, and you have the option to push back. If necessary, you can appeal your claim all the way up to the higher courts.
Contact Our Fort Lauderdale Property Insurance Lawyers Today
At Fuxa & Tyler, our legal team is made up of a diverse combination of attorneys who are well-positioned to protect the legal rights and financial interests of policyholders. If your property insurance claim was denied, we can help. For a free consultation, please call us today at (954) 990-5251. With an office in Sunrise, we represent policyholders in Broward County and throughout the state of Florida.
Source:
floridadep.gov/fgs/sinkholes/content/sinkhole-faq