As the clock ticks down, I’ve been receiving a surge of calls and emails from concerned public adjusters regarding the impending deadline for submitting National Flood Proofs of Loss. FEMA extended the deadline for 365 days from the date of Hurricane Ian. It’s crucial not to miss the deadline to deliver, not just mail, the full and correct proof of loss is this week. You only have a couple of days to get this correct.  

Continue Reading Attention Public Adjusters: Urgent Reminder on Upcoming Deadline for National Flood Proofs of Loss

Will Midtbo called me from a restoration construction conference and excitedly told me that the EalgeView founder, Dave Carlson, proposed on stage to April Hall…..and she said, “Yes!” At the time, I barely knew of and had not met David Carlson. I have known April for over a decade, regularly spoke at her conferences, and discussed on numerous occasions the difficult issues facing roofers doing insurance restoration work. At the time of their engagement, I had no idea the two were dating, much less considering marriage. 

Continue Reading The April Hall and Dave Carlson Marriage 

The property insurance policy calls for a court to appoint umpires. Parties typically file a petition to appoint an umpire and then a request to confirm the appraisal award after the appraisal panel renders a decision. A reader of this blog asked me to comment on the following ruling from a recent Florida appellate case:1 

Continue Reading Can Florida Courts Confirm Appraisal Awards and Appoint Umpires?

Traveling away from loved ones for business is never easy. I was at a restaurant co-owned by public adjuster Brandon Lewis and his wife, Marta, following a Georgia Association of Public Adjusters (GAPIA) meeting. Marta asked me if I ever got tired of all the travel. I told her I did not travel as much as I once had, but it is part of the business I have chosen. I told her that it helps when Donice travels with me as often as she does. She lamented and asked Brandon how he could be at home more.

Continue Reading Brandon Lewis—Public Adjuster Spotlight

The question for most policyholders following a property loss should be, “Which public adjuster do I hire?” rather than “I had a loss, what do I do now?” The vast majority of policyholders will benefit from hiring a very competent public adjuster following a loss. I made this point in my book, Pay Up!:

Continue Reading Policyholders Should Carefully Check Public Adjuster Credentials Before Hiring a Public Adjuster

“If they do not ask, do not tell.” That is the culture of some insurance carriers when it comes to explaining all the benefits available under additional living expense provisions of an insurance policy. Some carriers simply do not train their property insurance adjusters on those policy benefits so that they are ignorant about how many benefits and options are available under the policy, which could otherwise benefit policyholders. 

Continue Reading How Personal Lines Carriers Fail to Properly Advise Customers After a Total Fire Loss About ALE Benefits

Our law firm library is brimming with insurance company chronicles from books published long ago by the insurance industry. In these, company executives of yesteryears boasted about the swiftness with which they compensated their claimants. They painted pictures of drained company treasuries and the extraordinary efforts of their claims staff, working overtime to ensure prompt payments. These tales often shined a light on a business ethic that put the policyholder first.

Continue Reading Why the Property Insurance Industry Is Dominated by Bean Counters —Why Is Your Hurricane Ian Claim Underpaid and Delayed

It has been one year since Hurricane Ian. If you have not completely resolved your claim, you need to see a lawyer about your rights. Public adjusters and contractors working on Hurricane Ian claims should say the same thing. One year is just too long for a settlement not to have been made, and insurers have had enough time to work with non-legal professionals to get their jobs done right. 

Continue Reading The One Year Anniversary of Hurricane Ian—What Do Policyholders Now Face? 

Note: This guest post is by Doug Quinn, American Policyholder Association Executive Director.

Hurricane Idalia swept through, leaving behind its legacy. In its wake, Maui grappled with fires, Hurricane Lee stirred the Atlantic, the stock market experienced fluctuations, and political factions continued their age-old dance of rivalry. While seasons transitioned and we near the anniversary of Hurricane Ian, the nation’s attention has shifted. 

Continue Reading One Year Later: Reflections on Hurricane Ian and Its Aftermath

Proof of loss deadlines are always a little tricky when the case law is not clear. For the Maui wildfire victims with an insurance policy that requires a proof of loss to be filed within 60 days from the date of the loss, my suggestion is to be safe rather than sorry and obtain an indefinite extension to file a proof of loss. 

Continue Reading The 60-Day Proof of Loss Deadline in Hawaii