I am very sorry to hear what you are going through. We also went through Hurricane Francess and Jeanne, and I know alot of people who are in similiar situations. The best advise I can give to you is to find an insurance adjuster or lawyer who will work for you.I used one for several of our claims after I got the run around from Statefarm Insurance, but I wont recommend them as I wasnt too happy with them. Anyway, if you look in the newspaper, you will find several lawyers and insurance adjusters that will work for you. You do not pay them anything up front–they take 10% of the gross claim.
You wouldnt go to court without an attorney, so you really shouldnt try to deal with the your insurance adjusters as they are working for their company–not for you. From what you say, your claim will be much higher than 35,000. Where do you live in Florida
Good luck-I hope things work out for you. There are still lots of other people in the same situation.
My house was damaged in Frances & Jeanne - Posted by Suzann W
Posted by Suzann W on September 11, 2005 at 15:36:41:
I refinanced my house last year 3 months before Frances and Jeanne. My loan officer was suppose to take care of the insurance so we could go ahead & close. I kept calling about my policy but he kept telling me it was mailed. After the hurricanes I needed to make a claim but he would not return my calls. 4 months later I wrote Tallahassee and they forced them to answer me. The morgage company told them I had insurance but then called me and said I didn’t. They supplied me w/Force Placed Ins and told me to make a claim. After making a claim it took the insurance co another month to come out and assess the damage. They came up w/$35,000. This was April. At the end of June they sent me my 1st check for $2,500. I have not cashed it because I can’t find a contractor to start for that much. My house is now falling down and should be condemned but I have nowhere to go. I got a lawyer who wrote the morgage co and Insurance Co in June but neither has responded. The insurance CO said they will not pay for pre-exsisting damages but my home was not damaged before the storms. I don’t know what to do. The lawyer said he can’t do anything till I get a bid. The contractors that have come out said they can’t give me an estimate because I have mold. I have been sleeping on the floor for a year and all I want is my house fixed. What can I do? My floors are buckled and have holes through them that rats come up through. My ceilings are collapsing. Termites have taken over the exposed rotten wood and fall on us while we are sleeping. Please help.