Have you suffered property damage due to a hurricane, fire, or flood in Louisiana? Are you increasingly frustrated with your insurance company’s delays or refusal to offer a fair and reasonable settlement? A Shreveport insurance claim attorney from Insurance Claim HQ can help.

Why should you contact insurance attorney from ICHQ today? Because we are fully dedicated to one thing: fighting for the rights of our clients who have suffered losses from fires, floods, and hurricanes. Many of the people who work at ICHQ are from Louisiana, and we know what it feels like to live through a disaster. We help with third-party as well as first-party claims.

Our guiding principle at ICHQ is to always put the client first. You are and will always be our top priority. From the moment you hire us, our goal will be to help get you and your property back to where you were before the disaster happened. We will do everything in our power to achieve that goal. Our attorneys have succeeded in recovering more than $1 billion in settlements for over 70,000 property casualty clients.

Contact ICHQ today for a free initial case evaluation to discuss what we can do for your claim. You pay nothing upfront for us to get started, and there are no fees unless we recover compensation for you.

What a Shreveport Insurance Claim Attorney Can Do for Your Case

Filing a property insurance claim is not a simple process. Many homeowners feel stressed out and overwhelmed by trying to figure out how to file their claims. Even worse, insurance companies don’t always keep their word. All too often, they delay settlements, underpay, or deny claims completely.

A Shreveport insurance claim lawyer from ICHQ can take a lot of that stress off your shoulders by ensuring that your claim is filled out correctly and explaining the nuances of your policy. Our attorneys also have the experience to recognize insurers’ tricks and to fight for a fair settlement of your property insurance claim.

At ICHQ, we understand what it’s like to go through a disaster and then jump through all the hoops set up by the insurance company to get the benefits you paid for. Many of our lawyers live in Louisiana and the Deep South, so we’ve seen and experienced hurricanes, floods, hailstorms, and other disasters firsthand.

What Legal Rights Do I Have as an Insurance Policyholder in Shreveport?

According to the Louisiana Policyholders Bill of Rights, you have the right to:

  • Competitive pricing and the ability to compare coverage
  • Accurate and honest advertising and marketing
  • A financially stable insurance carrier
  • Fair treatment with no deceptive or unfair practices
  • Honest and competent insurance agents
  • Regulation of the insurance industry by the Department of Insurance
  • The ability to check the license status of your insurer
  • 30-day written notice of cancellation unless the cause is nonpayment of premiums
  • A written explanation for any cancellation or nonrenewal
  • Payment or a written settlement offer within 30 days of receiving proof of loss
  • A written explanation of any denial
  • Any documents, statements, or reports used by the insurance company in adjusting a first-party claim, except for those that are legally privileged
  • The ability to file a complaint and have it investigated by the Department of Insurance
  • A readable, complete insurance policy
  • Remedies for violations of Louisiana law by the insurance company

What Types of Home and Property Insurance Can I Get in Shreveport?

There are several types of home and property insurance available in Shreveport, Louisiana, including:

  • Basic form, which covers only the disasters listed in the policy.
  • Broad form, which covers a wide range of disasters, including some that are not listed in the policy.
  • Special form, which covers any disaster to the home except the listed exclusions.
  • Comprehensive form, which covers any disaster to either the home or personal property except the listed exclusions.
  • Tenant broad form, which covers personal property but not the home.
  • Special condominium form, which covers the interior of a condominium and any personal property.

Basic homeowners’ insurance policies are limited and typically don’t cover floods, other natural disasters, pests, mold, or other exclusions.

What Are Common Insurance Claims?

Common insurance claims after a disaster include:

Why Would My Insurance Carrier Deny My Claim?

There are many reasons why an insurance carrier might deny your claim, but they all come down to one simple reason: profit. An insurance carrier is in business to make money, and they can’t do that if they pay out every claim in full. To avoid doing so, they will look for any loophole or technicality that allows them to deny or underpay your claim.

Common reasons for a claim denial include:

  • Exclusions Listed in the Policy – For instance, if you carry comprehensive insurance that includes water damage but excludes flood damage, the insurance company can deny your claim if they interpret it as flood damage. Standard exclusions include earthquake, flood, mold, pest, landslide, earth movement, and wear and tear damage.
  • Insufficient Coverage – If your losses exceed the value of your coverage, the insurance company won’t cover your entire claim.
  • Missing the Deadline Listed in Your Policy – You must file your claim within the time limit stated in the policy.
  • Pre-Existing Damage – The insurance company may try to claim that the damage was already present before you bought the policy.
  • Negligence or Failure to Mitigate Loss – This happens if the insurance company claims you caused the damage or failed to minimize it by not maintaining your property.
  • Lack of Evidence to Support Your Claim – You must provide as much documentation as possible to prove your claim.
  • Providing Inaccurate or Fraudulent Information – Your claim must be accurate.

How Could Insurance Companies Act in Bad Faith in My Insurance Claim?

An insurance company acts in bad faith when it does something that disregards the rights of a policyholder or puts them at an unfair disadvantage.

An insurance company can act in bad faith by:

  • Denying your claim without clear justification for the denial
  • Delaying the process unreasonably by not responding to you, requesting more documentation than they really need, or taking too long to investigate your claim
  • Failing to investigate your claim thoroughly or interpreting the results in a biased way
  • Misinterpreting the terms of your policy
  • Offering a lowball settlement
  • Pressuring you to agree to a settlement without the advice of a lawyer
  • Making inaccurate statements or leaving out important information

If you believe your insurance company is acting in bad faith, contact ICHQ for a free consultation with an insurance claim attorney in Shreveport.

What Should I Do if My Insurance Claim Was Denied?

It’s best to hire an insurance claim lawyer in Shreveport as soon as you suffer property damage in a disaster. That way, your lawyer will be ready to respond immediately if the insurance company tries to deny your claim.

If you don’t have a lawyer yet and the insurance company denies your claim, you should take these steps:

  • Read the denial letter carefully and make sure you understand the reason for the denial and whether it matches the terms of your policy.
  • Put together any additional evidence that could make your claim stronger.
  • File an appeal with your insurance company before the deadline, stating why you believe the denial was in error.
  • If the insurance company denies your appeal, file a complaint with the Louisiana Department of Insurance.
  • Talk to a lawyer as soon as possible to find out what your legal options are.

Having an ICHQ lawyer for insurance claims can make the whole process go much more smoothly.

How Long Do I Have to File an Insurance Claim in Louisiana?

How long you have to file an insurance claim will depend on the terms of your policy and the specific cause of loss. For example, policy holders have 180 days to file an insurance claim after a disaster such as a hurricane, according to the Louisiana Department of Insurance. Check your policy for specific details.

If your insurance company has dealt with you in bad faith, Louisiana law generally allows you 10 years to file a lawsuit based on that bad faith action. However, the courts have also ruled that the insurer and the insured may agree to a shorter limitations period in the insurance contract. It’s best to review your policy to find out whether there’s a shorter filing deadline for a bad faith lawsuit.

What Are Best Practices for Filing an Insurance Claim?

Best practices for filing an insurance claim in Louisiana include the following:

  • Get the help of an insurance claim attorney before you file.
  • Let your lawyer handle all communications with the insurance company.
  • Review your policy and make sure you understand what is covered and what is not.
  • Document everything and keep all your documentation, including photos, video, bills, and anything else that can support your claim.
  • Never try to trick or defraud the insurance company.
  • Never settle for a lowball offer that doesn’t cover your true losses.

What Does Proof of Loss Mean?

Proof of Loss is a form that you must file with a property insurance claim. A Proof of Loss form includes:

  • A description of all damage
  • An estimate of the total value of your losses and a request for payment
  • Any supporting evidence or documentation you have, including bills, bank statements, receipts, police reports, eyewitness statements, and photographs
  • Your signature, which may need to be notarized

Depending on the insurance company, you may receive a Proof of Loss form to fill out, or you may need to request one from the company.

Contact an Insurance Claim Attorney in Shreveport Today

If you want to get a second opinion about the damage your property has suffered, or if you’re not happy with the quote your insurance provider has given you, we at ICHQ can help. Our law firm is dedicated to defending the rights of property owners in Shreveport, Louisiana. When the insurance company fails to keep its word, our experienced attorneys will work hard on your behalf to hold them to it.

Contact ICHQ today for a free, no-obligation consultation and case review.