Flood Damage
There are many areas throughout the United States that are highly susceptible to floods. Flooding can take a varying amount of time to recede on its own, depending on the severity of the situation. However, despite the severity of the damage done to your home from flooding, it is important to address the problem as soon as possible, since there are many harmful consequences to your property and health that can arise. Depending on the cause of the flood damage in your home, you can get federal disaster assistance, but that will cover only fifteen percent of the total damages and will not be enough to fix and/or prevent the issues that can come with the flood.
On top of that, the federal coverage usually only applies if the flood is the product of a natural disaster, such as a hurricane or a tropical storm; all the water they bring can be even more harmful than the strong winds. Federal coverage can also take a long time to be approved by the government, which is not ideal for someone who is looking to repair flood damage promptly. Without flood insurance, homeowners have limited options for fixing damages in their home or on their property. Many times, homeowners are forced to take out a loan or use their personal savings to fix any damages. Hiring a public adjuster after your house has suffered flood damage is critical for saving you time, money, and stress. Contact our experts today for a free claims analysis or inspection.
In some cases, flooding will not be covered by the state. When a pipe in your home is clogged and bursts, causing a flood, the case will not be covered by the state. If construction is the cause of the flooding in your home or property, you may already have an insurance policy in place that can help cover the damages. If so, contact Molina & Rangel Associates to help you get the most out of your claim. Our team of skilled professionals understands how difficult it is to face this calamity and we are prepared to lend you a helping hand.
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What to Do During a Flood?
Floods can be very unpredictable. The flooding caused by natural or artificial events might happen gradually with the water levels rising a few inches over time, or they could happen all at once. The first thing to consider in the case of any event is the safety of your family. In doing so, it is important to consider whether your location is at-risk for flooding. You can check the flood risk in your area by looking up your address in a flood map https://msc.fema.gov/portal/search.
Planning ahead is a key factor in these situations. You can find a template for a plan in case of disaster on http://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan. It is critical to be aware of the location of the main switches and circuit breakers in your house, so you can cut the power as soon as possible. It is important to reach higher ground once a flood warning has been issued and you need to avoid walking through moving water — even six-inches-deep water can make a person trip and fall causing injuries.
If the flooding in your home is caused by a broken or clogged pipe or faulty drainage, you will need to try to cut the water source as fast as possible. If you are not able to do it yourself, call professional help. Electricity represents a high risk in the case of any flood. Cutting the power in the area of the flood is highly advisable, even if the water level is not very high. Power wires can run through the floor or at the bottom of the walls, and in the presence of water they can short-circuit and lead to electrocution.
They worked completely in my interest. They were an advocate for me and gave me a voice that I did not feel I had before. They found the best people to do the job and worked tirelessly with the insurance company to ensure I received the best settlement for my damaged roof. I got a new roof and my peace of mind back.
What a horrible experience dealing with our insurance company! The insurance companies will take a long time to resolve your claim anb then try to get out of paying you. Call this company with your concerns. They will fight for you and get you what you deserve.
After our sewer backed up and flooded our home, a co-worker recommend that we try them out. The whole process was a good experience considering the circumstances. (Cause how good could it really be when your sewer backs up into your house? Lol) They answered all of my many questions and were empathetic to my family’s situation. They even had someone show up the same day.
We just finished up with our insurance and I don’t believe we would have ever gotten this much back without their help. Thank you!! You guys are like the big brother I never had.
I contacted Molina & Rangel after being scared, overwhelmed and quite frankly mad by my insurance companys refusal to pay what was needed to repair the mold in my kitchen. There team took charge of my claim and guided me through the entire process. They got ALL the money needed to complete the repairs. There entire team was great and I recommened anyone needing repairs done for your home and feel like your insurance company is trying to scam you out of YOUR money.
What Does Flood Insurance Cover?
In the area of South Florida and other places with high flood risk (especially during hurricane season), some flood damage can be covered by your home insurance policy. However, even in these cases, you will need to pay extra to preserve the integrity of your basement and any other areas or belongings. Having a sump pump in your basement is the best option to protect for protection in the lowest areas of your home. In the case of pump malfunction, some extra coverage can be purchased that will ensure your basement for up to $25,000. In the case of mild flood damage, the repair costs can be as high as $12,000, which can increase to hundreds of thousands as the severity increases.
Flooding as a result of faulty appliances, such as water heaters, washing machines and others will be covered by a standard homeowner insurance policy. Your insurance company reserves the right to examine the condition of the home appliance to determine whether or not the malfunction was the result of poor maintenance. If the cause of the issue is neglect, the insurer will not cover you for any damage caused. If the insurer determines the appliance had a malfunction that is beyond the homeowner’s power, the resulting damage will be covered by the insurance policy.
However, the faulty appliance will not be covered. The insurance company will cover the costs of the flood and related damage, but you will be responsible for replacing the broken appliance with your own funds. If your pipes freeze and burst during the winter season, your home insurance policy will cover the damage for the resulting flood as well. To receive coverage, it is required that you provide proof that you were living at the property at the time of the event, or that your home was heated and/or the water system was shut down.
Floods caused by overflowing tubs, pools, sink or another water source in your house are covered in most homeowner insurance policies. For instance, if you wanted to take a bath and started filling up your tub and then forgot, you don’t need to worry — your insurer will take care of the resulting damage. Even if you are covered by your insurance policy, we believe it is important for our clients to understand just how easy it is to begin the insurance claim process. Contact Molina & Rangel Associates to begin the claims process today — you will be shocked at how smooth and flawless it really is!
In the case of extreme weather conditions (for example, in case of storms, hurricanes, and heavy rains) you will need flood insurance and, even in those situations, coverage might be limited. For an external sewage system backups, your insurance company will not cover the damage. That is a difficult situation, because most insurance companies can offer an endorsement for sewage backup, but it will only cover a small fraction of the total damage. Similarly, when water seeps from the underground into your basement, most companies do not cover it, and it will be a very limited amount if they do.
Why Do I Need a Public Adjuster?
Molina & Rangel public adjusters will always be there to help you when you are making a claim for flood coverage or other forms of home or property damage. We will help walk you through how flood insurance costs are calculated and we will provide assistance along the process so you will get the settlement that is necessary for your home restoration. We will study your case and present the claim to your insurance company for you. Sit back and let us do the hard work — we are here to help you in times of disaster.
Filing a claim for flood damage and having it approved can be a challenge. A high level of attention to detail is necessary, as many factors influence the final decision made by your insurance company. Our team at Molina & Rangel Associates will maximize the chance of your claim being approved, while simultaneously ensuring that you get the compensation you deserve. We empathize with your loss and understand how difficult it is to be denied what you really need after your home has been damaged. We focus not only on property loss, but also on any personal and health difficulties derived from the event. Do not wait any longer to contact us, as we will work alongside you from start to finish to help you receive the compensation you deserve.