Water can be both a life sustaining and an incredibly destructive influence that can cause devastating property damage to your home or business property. Water penetration can infiltrate every part of your home and cause damage to furniture, insulation, dry wall, roof, walls and floors. If water penetrates your home, it can lead to toxic mold, which can have serious health risks to occupants of your home. Mold may even be an issue when you are ready to sell your home. While homeowner’s insurance policies cover some forms of water damage, insurance companies routinely deny legitimate Oklahoma flood damage claims. If your insurance company denies your claim without a legitimate basis or refuses to communicate with you regarding your claim, schedule a free consultation with one of our insurance bad faith attorneys to discuss how we can help you obtain the compensation you deserve. We may even be able to file a lawsuit for bad faith and seek the value of your loss, attorney’s fees, punitive damages and other appropriate compensation.
When your home or business property is damaged by water, it is important to have an expert beyond the insurance adjuster evaluate your water damage. The insurance adjuster will typically claim the damage was the result of a slow gradual leak due to improper construction or poor seal near windows, flashing, doorways or similar places where water penetration is common. Most policies will not cover damage from water penetration of this type. If the water penetration is the result of damage caused by a sudden event, like a storm, that allows water to penetrate the property, however, the damage generally will be covered. By having your own contractor examine the property, you can get an objective opinion on the cause of the water penetration.
If it is left up to the insurance adjuster, he or she often will conclude that the type of water damage is not covered, underestimate the seriousness of the damage or overlook potential losses. The insurance adjuster may be amicable and seem like he or she is trying to help, but the adjuster is a representative of the insurance company and his or her job is to minimize losses to the company. Some insurance companies actually pay adjusters bonuses and performance pay based on the adjuster’s track record for minimizing what is paid on claims. You should seriously consider having your contractor present when the adjuster examines the property.
Although your insurance company owes you a fiduciary duty, insurance companies are businesses and denying claims means increasing profits. Our bad faith insurance attorneys are very familiar with strategies that insurance companies use to minimize or deny water damage claims. Our attorneys will analyze the value of your claim and attempt to persuade your insurance company to compensate you for your actual damage without undervaluing your claim. If your insurance company continues to be unreasonable in handling and paying your claim, our attorneys may be able to file a lawsuit for bad faith and seek punitive damages against your insurance company.
Our attorneys represent insurance policyholders throughout the state whose insurance company refuses to deal with them honestly and fairly. Whether your insurance company has denied your claim or insists on a low-ball settlement amount, our Tulsa, Oklahoma insurance bad faith attorneys may be able to help you get the compensation you need to recover from your loss.
Feel free to schedule a free consultation online or call The Bennett Law Firm at 405.272.0303 to discuss your legal options with an experienced Oklahoma City lawyer today. No Recovery, No Fee! We will meet with you face to face and can handle cases anywhere in Oklahoma. We can even come to you!