“Before-and-After” Photos When Filing a Property Insurance Claim in Fort Lauderdale

Photographs may play a surprisingly important role in the success of your property insurance claim. Fortunately, almost every Florida resident today has access to a powerful camera in the palm of their hand – allowing you to take clear and effective photographs of your home when filing a claim. That being said, photos taken with a modern smartphone camera may not be as helpful as you think. High resolution is useless when you fail to document important aspects of your property. One effective tip is to take “before-and-after” photos of your property. Why is this necessary, and can a property insurance lawyer in Fort Lauderdale help with your claim?

Why Are Photographs Necessary When Filing a Claim? 

Photographs help you document the damage to your home. It is generally a good idea to provide your insurer with as much information as possible about the damage your property has incurred. A picture speaks a thousand words, and it is much easier to send your insurer a photograph rather than describing the damage in writing.

Your insurance company may send representatives to your home, and these representatives may take their own photographs of the damage. That said, you should not rely on these individuals to properly document the damage. You are responsible for collecting evidence of the damage, and your photographs could prove crucial as you fight for compensation.

Why Are Before-and-After Photographs So Important? 

It might seem like an obvious step to take photographs of your property damage – but why would you take photos of your property before any damage occurs? To understand the importance of this step, you first need to understand the concept of “pre-existing damage.” Many insurers will deny your claim by arguing that your home was already damaged. For example, many of your roof tiles may have been blown away by a storm. Even if you take photos of your damaged roof, the insurance company may claim that the damage is due to normal wear and tear – and that the tiles were already missing before the storm.

Taking photos of your home before the damage occurs prevents the insurance company from attempting this strategy. You might snap a photo of your roof immediately before a storm, thereby proving that it was in pristine condition before the wind and rain arrived. You should do this with as many areas of your home as possible – especially if you expect that your property will soon be damaged.

Contact Our Fort Lauderdale Property Insurance Lawyers Today

At Geyer 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.

Sources: 

cbsnews.com/news/insurance-claim-hurricane-milton-helene/

news-press.com/story/news/2024/10/07/hurricane-milton-florida-what-document-insurance-claims-how-prepare-damages-disaster-payouts/75552305007/