Homeowners Tornado Claims: Delay, Dispute, and Denial
Joplin Tornado Claims
Homeowners in Joplin, Missouri suffered severe property damage as a result of the May 2011 tornado. Your policy on your home or residence should protect you from losing substantial value on what is probably your most important investment. If you have filed a homeowners or residential claim in the aftermath of the Joplin tornado, your claim should be fully and fairly investigated by your insurance company. Unfortunately, many homeowners discover that insurance companies often turn a hostile eye toward those filing homeowners or residential tornado damage claims and frequently use tactics to avoid paying you what you are owed.
Delay, Dispute, and Denial
Often, insurance companies do not live up to their side of the bargain. They have no problem taking your money, but as soon as you have a claim, they start using various tactics to keep you from getting what you are owed under your policy.
Insurance companies will often do the following:
- Dispute: Insurance companies will often ask for all kinds of information, and then continue to ask for more. When policyholders need help the most, insurance companies dispute claims and provide any number of reasons or excuses to avoid making payments, instead of providing help and assistance. Often it even feels like insurance companies are blaming the insured policyholders.
- Delay: Sometimes insurance companies will not come right out and deny a claim immediately. A lot of times, they just wait to make a decision. Meanwhile, bills and other expenses may be piling up. Some insurance companies have even mailed wrong forms on purpose and then denied claims because policyholders did not submit the correct forms. In short, insurance companies hope that by making it so difficult to file claims, policyholders will either give up or accept a low-ball settlement.
- Deny: Sometimes insurance companies will come right out and deny a claim. They may even deny a claim without investigating or for another improper reason. When an insurance company does this, it is hoping that you will simply get frustrated and give up on pursuing the claim.
Do any of these tactics sound familiar? If so, contact an experienced attorney today to start holding your insurance company accountable and to get the money you deserve.
What Sets Us Apart
Our use of professional experts, contractors, and engineers sets us apart from other insurance litigation firms.
When we handle property insurance claims, we do not simply take the estimates provided by the insurance company’s adjusters. We perform an independent evaluation, seeking opinions from contractors and independent adjusters to obtain a very detailed, comprehensive estimate of the real damage to your home. This helps us determine how much we should seek in claim compensation.
Take Action Against Bad Faith Insurance Companies
We stand up for policyholders and take action against insurance companies that operate in bad faith by denying the full cost of building replacement and property repair. Time and time again we have spoken with tornado damage victims who have been insulted by and frustrated with the unreasonable settlement offers they have received after biased investigations of their damage. Insurance companies are required to show reasonable cause for the denial or delay of payment in the handling of your claim if there is coverage underneath your policy.
If your residential tornado damage claim has been denied or delayed, and your insurance company is not telling you why, we will be your voice at the table. We have the knowledge to deal with the complex legal issues involved in insurance law, familiarity in dealing with insurance companies, and experience in the courtroom. Whether it is a partial or total loss, we will help you fight for compensation and obtain the best possible outcome for your residential tornado damage claim—not a minimal, low-ball, or “halfway” settlement.
Free Consultation • Contingency Fee Basis • Representation Throughout the Country
In order to receive the maximum settlement for your residential tornado claim, you may need help from an insurance dispute lawyer. Johnson, Vorhees & Martucci has helped the Joplin community for years, aiding Joplin residents in insurance disputes. Doyle Raizner has earned recognition as a preeminent law firm helping policyholders throughout the country fight for their rightful claims against insurance companies that operate in bad faith.
Contact us today for a free initial consultation. We handle cases on a contingency fee basis. You will not pay attorneys’ fees unless we recover a settlement or verdict on your behalf.
