Gustav Lawyers

Views From Hurricane Ike TWIA Insurance Adjusters

A Comment from a recent post at our Property Insurance Coverage Law blog, titled, How Ike Insurance Claim Help is Supposed to Be, provided insight to the understanding of the claims process from two adjusters in the insurance industry. The comment is worthy of repeating here:

Hurricane Ike - The Forgotten Disaster

The national media can be fickle. Hurricane Ike devastated Galveston and the Bolivar Peninsula. Those communities and people in them are suffering as much as those in Louisiana and Mississippi following Hurricane Katrina. Yet, I have seen little in the national media regarding this story.

The Houston Press ran an excellent article, Hurricane Ike's Wake, detailing the effects of Hurricane Ike. It also questioned why there is so little national media attention to the devastation. Even the charitable contributions to Hurricane Ike relief efforts has been minuscule compared with Hurricane Ike.

Chip Merlin speaks at Houston Business Journal Roundtable

Fox Houston asks Tina Nicholson to Share her Expertise by Phone

Chip Merlin Advises Policyholders on Fox Houston

Fox Houston spoke to Chip Merlin for a segment about how to proceed when it comes to accepting insurance company offers for your claim. Please click the play button to view the clip.

Chronicle Gains Insight from Chip Merlin for Story on Policyholder Woes

Chip Merlin, an attorney whose firm represents policyholders, said private companies handling claims on behalf of the flood program may be reluctant to make high offers. That's because overpayments could come out of their pockets.

After Hurricane Katrina, Merlin said, adjusters were paying out on flood claims and giving the benefit of the doubt.

"Now, for the first time, we're getting calls about national flood not paying enough," Merlin said. "Adjusters are taking a little bit longer, not paying quite as freely, and we think that's because the independent contractors will be responsible for any overpayment."

Please click here to read the full story...

Tina Nicholson on Waiting for FEMA and Your Insurance Company

“While waiting for adjusters people should make an inventory of everything that’s damaged,” Nicholson said in an interview with The Sun. “Go up in the attic with a flash light, check to see if the siding on your house has damage, if there are shingles loose. Really take responsibility and make a list.”

Before you throw away anything that was ruined in the storm, Nichoslon said to add it to the list. This list will be given to the adjuster when they arrive.

When an adjust inspects your home Nicholson said it’s important to get their name and contact information.

“They have hundreds of homes to go through,” Nicholson said. “They are swamped.”

Please click here to read the full story...

Tina Nicholson to Houston Chronicle Readers: Close Claims Cautiously

It can be hard to reopen a closed claim, so it's important to do as much as possible from the start and not sign off on any final proof of losses until consumers are sure they've found all the damage, Houston attorney Tina Nicholson said.

"You can sign a partial proof of loss. If the form says 'final,' you can cross it out and write 'preliminary.' Don't be intimidated because it's a typed-up form," she said. "If you don't agree with their estimate or offer, let them know you're not agreeing with them."

Please click here to read more...

Chronicle Q&A: Attorney Tina Nicholson Answers Policyholder Questions

Q: Will insurance reimburse me for the time I spent cleaning?

A: Your time has value, and you should be reimbursed for the time you spent cleaning or removing debris as you would have otherwise paid someone to do it, Nicholson said. So log how much time you spent cleaning up and what you did.

"They have special estimating programs that tell them exactly how much someone in the area would charge for that work," she said. "It may be a good idea to call around and find out how much a company would charge you for cleaning or debris removal."

Please click here to read the full story...

Fox Houston: Tina Nicholson Advises Policyholders in Live Segment after Ike

Houston Chronicle: Tina Nicholson on What to Do After Ike

"The adjuster's opinion is only one opinion,'' she said. ``If you don't agree with the company's adjuster's estimate, you need to dispute it."

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Chip Merlin: What are Insurance Companies Doing Now?

I write this a day or so before Gustav is going to strike a terrible blow somewhere from east Texas to the far west of Florida. Hurricane, unlike tornados, have a large area, potentially more than a hundred miles worth of impact. The center of it is not as important as being simply close to it. "Close" is a long way when talking about a Category 4 hurricane.

WLOX Leads with Merlin Law Group Katrina Settlements

Times-Picayune: Chip Merlin's Comments Sought before Gustav hit Louisiana

But before worrying about the possibility of insurance claims from Gustav, Chip Merlin, a Florida plaintiff attorney with offices across the Gulf Coast, said that if people are still repairing their homes, the first order of business is to make sure they're thoroughly sealed up. "The best loss is the one that never happens," he said.

Please click here to read the full story...