What The 90 Day Deadline Means For Hurricane Ian Insurance Claims
Today marks 90 days since the devastation of Hurricane Ian. More than 130,000 people have received claim denials and more experiencing claim delays. As thousands have waited for a determination on their insurance claim, this 90-day waiting period may provide unwanted results for property owners of South West Florida.
Hurricane Ian sustained winds of 150 mph when the eye made landfall in Cayo Costa, Florida along with 18 feet storm surges in some areas. Many property owners who’ve been impacted by Hurricane Ian face damages due to both flood and wind, and many are still waiting for their claim to be paid to begin rebuilding their properties.
What is so significant about 90 days?
Florida State law requires insurance companies to make a claim determination (approval or denial of the claim) within 90 days. C3 Group’s Claim Consultant Taylor Bezek has noticed most insureds reaching out for claim help have yet to complete any work on their property and are frustrated with the perceived failure of their insurance providers to adequately adjust losses in a timely manner. ”In recent weeks we have seen a significant increase in outreach from insureds who feel their claims have been unreasonably underpaid or denied in part.”
In addition to delayed and denied claim determinations, many policyholders are receiving letters revealing inadequate coverage in their policies. It is of the utmost importance for insureds to fully understand what their insurance policy covers. Many policyholders are been surprised at their lack of insurance coverage after this event and are left to rebuild their properties without insurance assistance.
In addition to a lack of coverage, many of the estimates are missing necessary covered items. William Midtbo, C3 Group’s CMO said, “We are seeing many line items left off of the carrier’s estimates.” A large majority of property owners will be unable to identify the deficiencies in the estimates leaving them inadequately indemnified.
As reported by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, 647,924 insurance claims have been filed so far for Hurricane Ian storm-related damages, and out of those, 20% have been denied. We suspect that number will rise now that we have reached the 90-day mark and more claims are filed.
Hurricane Ian Claim Help
If you have experienced a delay or denial in your insurance claim after Hurricane Ian – OR- you would like someone to review the estimate provided by your insurance provider, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team by calling (239) 221-6371 or through email at info@c3adjusters.com.
Input your claim information for review easily and a C3 Group team member will be in touch to discuss your claim by visiting www.c3adjusters.com/claim-help/
About C3 Group
C3 Group is a highly experienced and nationally connected team of licensed public insurance adjusters and industry experts. The firm leads the industry in providing representation for commercial, industrial and multi-family properties nationwide. C3 Group prioritizes its contribution to the industry by providing education, detailed processes, and policyholder advocacy. C3 ensures every claim they handle results in an accurate and fair settlement.
