Florida Insurance Claim Lawyer Blog

Hurricane Katrina hit the South Florida coast five years ago, before cruising through the Gulf and becoming a Category 5 monster that slammed into New Orleans.

Despite its small stature when it hit Florida, Hurricane Katrina left significant damage in her wake. Her story is a timely reminder to South Florida homeowners to take all tropical storms and hurricanes seriously, to remain prepared through the height of storm season, and to seek the advice of an experienced Miami storm damage attorney for help in filing significant claims for hurricane damage.

While the storm will be forever remembered as the most devastating natural disaster to ever strike the Gulf Coast, it hit first just north of the Broward-Miami-Dade County line about 7 p.m. At the time, it was a poorly organized Category 1 storm with winds of about 80 miles per hour. Still, it was the first time the center of a hurricane moved across Broward County since Hurricane Cleo in 1964, according to the Sun-Sentinel.

And it killed 14 people in Florida and caused extensive property damage. A highway flyover collapsed on I-595 in Miami-Dade and more than 1 million homes and businesses were left without power.

It cruised off the southern tip of the state near Naples and into the Gulf of Mexico the next day, where it quickly strengthened: 100 mph winds on Aug. 26; 115 mph winds on Aug. 27; and 175 mph winds on Aug. 28. It toppled the levees in New Orleans and ran aground near the Louisiana-Mississippi border at about 9 a.m. on Aug. 29.

In all, the storm killed 1,833 people, the third deadliest hurricane in U.S. history. The deadliest storms remain the 1900 hurricane in Galveston and the 1928 hurricane that struck Lake Okeechobee in South Florida.

Our Florida Insurance Claim Lawyer Blog offers safety tips and other advice to prepare you and your family for a hurricane.

Continue reading "Lessons from Hurricane Katrina can help South Florida Residents be Prepared " »

A pair of hurricanes are forming in the Atlantic as South Florida enters the height of storm season.

Danielle is the second Atlantic hurricane of the year. The Category 2 storm is expected to strengthen in the next couple days and could become a major hurricane. It is still more than 1,000 miles southeast of Miami.

Meanwhile, the Miami Herald reports that the financial strength of Castle Key Insurance, and Castle Key Indemnity has been lowered to a B-, meaning the company could have trouble paying claims in the event of a major hurricane. A subsidiary of Allstate Insurance, the company is said to have significant exposure to hurricanes and relies heavily on the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund for reinsurance.

Knowing the financial strength of your insurance company is an important consideration when choosing a homeowner's insurance policy. Those dealing with a significant claim should always consult a Miami insurance claims lawyer to help ensure their rights are protected through what can be a needlessly complex, complicated and intimidating process.

NBC2 reports that Hurricane Danielle is moving west-northwest through the Atlantic and could brush Bermuda by this weekend. On Wednesday, sustained winds were recorded at 85 mph.

Forecasters are also tracking Tropical Depression 7 off the coast of Africa, which is expected to be Hurricane Earl by next week.

Neither storm is currently forecast to be a threat to the Florida coast. But both are a reminder to residents that we are in the height of what is expected to be a busy hurricane season.

Continue reading "Miami homeowners should check financial strength of their insurance companies as area enters height of storm season" »

The warm bathing waters of the Gulf of Mexico and a La Nina pattern will increase the risk of a serious storm hitting South Florida as we head into the height of hurricane season, the Miami Herald reported.

If you have not already done so, our Miami storm damage attorneys encourage you to make some basic preparations. Even the busiest among us can tackle hurricane preparation in stages, as we suggest on our Florida Insurance Claim Lawyer Blog.

The remainder of this year's hurricane season is likely to be "bad and busy" according to forecasters. The presence of a La Nina pattern and record high water temperatures make the environment about as hurricane friendly as possible. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts a 70 percent change of 14 to 20 named storms through November; thus far this year we have had just three named storms and two other tropical depressions that failed to strengthen.

Eight of the 12 predicted storms could reach hurricane threshold with four to six growing into major hurricanes.

"We're to the period when you start to see these waves rolling off of Africa," NOAA forecaster Gerry Bell told the Herald. "Everything is in place for a really active year."

While NOAA does not make landfall predictions, history indicates a 90 chance of a strike somewhere on the East Coast and an 80 percent chance for Gulf Coast landfall. South Florida has not been hit by a major hurricane since Wilma in 2005 -- a record year that produced 28 named storms and 15 hurricanes.

Water temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean are as high as they have been since 2005. La Nina, which is marked by cool temperatures in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, reduces wind sheer and can make it easier for storms in the Atlantic to form.

Earlier this month, famed hurricane prognosticator Dr. William Gray of Colorado State University predicted 18 named storms, including 10 hurricanes.

Continue reading "Brace Yourself for the Height of South Florida Hurricane Season" »

So far this year there have been three named storms and two tropical depressions. Any of these storms are strong enough to do significant damage. However, only Bonnie reached South Florida and her impact was minimal.

Tropical depressions are storms with winds of up to 38 mph and are identified only by numbers; tropical storms are given names and have winds form 39 to 73 mph and hurricanes have winds above 74 mph.

Storms so far in 2010 have included:
-Hurricane Alex: Reached speeds of 100 mph and made landfall in Mexico.
-Tropical Depression Two: Speeds of 35 mph and followed Alex's path into Mexico.
-Tropical Storm Bonnie: The only real threat so far to South Florida, she reached speeds of 40 mph.
-Tropical Storm Colin: Reached speeds of 60 mph in the mid-Atlantic but never threatened land.
-Tropical Depression 5: Formed off Southwest Florida and wandered through the Gulf of Mexico before breaking apart.

Our Miami hurricane damage lawyers urge you to take the South Florida hurricane season seriously and properly prepare for the safety of you and your family. Our staff will be available around the clock in the event of a serious storm and can assist you in filing claims or handling disputes with your insurance carrier.

Storms are named in order of the alphabet each year, except for the letters q, u, x, y, and z, which are omitted. Whenever a storm causes serious damage, like Wilma or Katrina, the name is retired and replaced.

Names for 2010 are:

Alex
Bonnie
Colin
Danielle
Earl
Fiona
Gaston
Hermine
Igor
Julia
Karl
Lisa
Matthew
Nicole
Otto
Paula
Richard
Shary
Tomas
Virginie
Walter

Continue reading "Danielle? Earl? Fiona? Our Firm Stands Ready to Help Miami Homeowners if a Named Storm Strikes South Florida" »

As authorities watched Depression 5 scoot past the southwest tip of Florida this week, it became clear to our Miami insurance claims attorneys that we were going to miss the bulk of the threat, even if the storm gathered strength and became a named storm.

As we reported on our Florida Insurance Lawyer Blog, a storm must reach winds of 74 mph to reach hurricane strength and are then rated Category 1 through 5 depending on wind speed.

This week's storm motored past at 30 mph, not enough to even earn its name; depressions become named tropical storms upon reaching 39 mph. While it looked formidable enough to chase the BP crews out of the Gulf, it had trouble organizing and finally dissipated late Thursday night.

But it serves as a reminder that South Florida is in the very height of hurricane season. From now through November, the chances are good that the area will be threatened by named tropical storms or hurricanes. Even a tropical depression can cause wind and water damage while serving as a health reminder that the time to prepare is now, before a serious storm is eminent.

For those who always seem too busy to prepare, our Miami storm damage attorneys recommend readying you and your family in several stages.

Always
-Know and understand your insurance policy, including your exposure to deductibles.
-Keep your important paperwork in water-proof storage containers
-Keep several plastic totes with the following items inside (and clearly marked in a checklist on the outside): manual can opener, disposable plates, silverware and cups, first aid kit, flashlights, battery-operated radio.

Start of hurricane season
-Purchase fresh batteries for radios and flashlights
-Ensure fresh gas is available for the generator and gas grill and that both are in good repair.
-Purchase fresh bottled water (at least 7 gallons per person -- a gallon a day for a week). Buying 20 oz bottles will allow the water to be used at the beach or around the pool after hurricane season.

Hurricane Watch
If you have followed the instructions above, this will be your serious hurricane preparation and it should be pretty simple:
-Fill cars with gas.
-Go grocery shopping
-Gather specialty items, including pet care and child care items.
-Charge cell phones
-Gather rain gear, toys, books and games
-Ensure you have cash on hand to last several weeks

Hurricane Warning
This means a hurricane is going to strike the area.
-Install storm shutters
-Remove patio furniture and other loose items, including planters, from the exterior of your home
-Ensure you have emergency contact information, including the location of the nearest shelter
-Listen to official instructions or advisories

Continue reading "Hurricane Preparation in Stages may be Solution for Busy Miami Residents" »

Miami is the most vulnerable area in Florida for damage caused by a hurricane, according to a new study released this week by Florida State University.

The Miami Herald reports that the Miami area is the most vulnerable of Florida's 12 population centers. The state capital of Tallahassee is the least vulnerable. Cape Coral is ranked fourth, according to the Fort Myers News-Press.

The Florida State University study used a new Hurricane Risk Calculator to determine that Miami can expect a Category 3 hurricane once every 12 years on average. As we reported on our Florida Insurance Lawyer Blog, Category 3 storms have winds of 111 to 130 mph.

Tallahassee can expect such a storm once every 500 years. Other high-risk areas were Port St. Lucie, Key West and Cape Coral. The Panhandle, Panama City and Pensacola were a bit less susceptible to wind. While Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville joined Tallahassee as cities that are the least vulnerable.

The list has irritated real estate agents and developers in several of the "at-risk" cities. But the State of Florida is only about 100 miles wide and the reality is that you are paying high insurance rates anywhere in the state because of your risk for a hurricane. In exchange, you expect your insurance company to deal fairly with you in the event that a claim is necessary. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Our Miami insurance claims lawyers urge anyone faced with filing a significant claim to enlist the help of a qualified attorney.

The university's Hurricane Risk Calculator is a statistic model based on the extreme value theory -- that is a theory used to estimate the occurrence of extreme events such as hurricanes Andrew and Katrina. Researchers used wind speed data from the National Hurricane Center dating back to 1851. The researchers said the risk calculator could provide important information to emergency planners, the insurance industry and homeowners.

They said Florida has sustained more than $450 billion in hurricane damages in the last century.

Florida's top 12 population areas in order of vulnerability:

1. Miami
2. Port St. Lucie
3. Key West
4. Cape Coral
5. Sarasota
6. Pensacola
7. Panama City
8. Daytona Beach
9. Orlando
10. Tampa
11. Jacksonville
12. Tallahassee

Continue reading "Miami is State's Most Vulnerable Area for Hurricane Damage, according to Study" »

Many homeowners are unaware of the significant difference in deductibles their homeowner's policy may carry for wind damage versus hurricane damage. Nor do they realize that a hurricane damage deductible may be triggered by the presence of a storm elsewhere in the state.

Our Miami storm damage attorneys encourage homeowners dealing with significant damage claims to consult our office for a free consultation. Policies can be confusing, often intentionally so, and homeowners cannot always expect to be treated fairly by their insurance company.

As we reported on our Florida Insurance Claim Lawyer Blog, the passage of Tropical Storm Bonnie marks the real beginning of the 2010 South Florida storm season. Understanding your policy deductibles can help you understand your economic exposure in the event of a serious storm. Doing so now may even allow you to make changes. Once the Florida Peninsula falls into the path of a tropical storm or hurricane, it will be too late; polices cannot be issued or changed until after a storm passes.

In general, a homeowner usually has very manageable deductibles for wind damage, often just $500. But hurricane deductibles of 10 percent are common, which would be $20,000 on a $200,000 house.

What even fewer homeowners realize is that an insurance company may apply a hurricane deductible to wind damage that occurs elsewhere in the state. For example, a hurricane in Miami that spawns a tornado in Fort Myers, will result in a hurricane deductible. By law, the issuance of a hurricane watch or warning by the National Weather Service puts all properties in the state under hurricane deductibles.

Additionally, the hurricane deductible is in effect up to 3 days after a storm. When the length of the pre-storm watch is taken into account, homeowners may be subject to hurricane deductibles for nearly a week at a time during the threat of a hurricane.

Continue reading "Miami Homeowners Should Know the Difference between Wind Storm and Hurricane Deductibles" »