Property Damage Attorney in Baton Rouge

Are you dealing with property damage in Baton Rouge and unsure what you should do next? The insurance claims process can seem overwhelming, and insurance companies are known for delaying, denying, or undercutting policyholders’ payouts. When you need an advocate who puts your needs first, reach out to Insurance Claim HQ.

Our law firm has recovered over $1 billion in insurance claim settlements for more than 70,000 satisfied clients across Louisiana, the Deep South, and nationally. For over 25 years, we’ve acquired keen knowledge of the tricks that insurance companies use on vulnerable policyholders. We’ve fought their tactics to get homeowners and business owners the money they need to rebuild their property and their lives.

What gives ICHQ a distinct advantage, though, is our firsthand insight of the physical and emotional strain that comes with rebuilding and recovery. Many of our lawyers live in or are from the Pelican State. We’ve seen and experienced what hurricanes, storms, and heavy winds do to our neighbors — and we fight passionately for them.

Don’t accept pennies on the dollar or take a property damage denial lying down. Instead, let us assert your rights and demand the recovery you deserve. Contact Insurance Claim HQ today for a free initial case review with a dedicated Baton Rouge property damage lawyer.

How a Baton Rouge Property Damage Insurance Claim Lawyer Can Help with Your Case

Dealing with insurance companies can quickly become a time-consuming, stressful endeavor. A property damage insurance lawyer from ICHQ can help you demand financial compensation from your insurer after your property sustains damage in an accident or disaster by:

• Investigating your claim to obtain supporting documentation and information
• Reviewing your policy terms to determine your eligibility for coverage
• Assisting you with the preparation and filing of a proof of loss for your insurance company
• Dealing with insurance adjusters to take the stress of the claims process off you
• Reviewing denial letters and pursuing the insurance company’s appeals process
• Filing bad faith insurance claims to hold insurers accountable for wrongfully denying your property damage claim
• Never charging you anything unless we recover money on your property damage insurance claim

What Are Common Property Damage Claims?

At ICHQ, we help owners seek financial recovery for home property damage, and we’ve recovered more than $1 billion on their behalf. Our firm handles cases involving all types of property damage claims, including:

Why Would My Insurance Carrier Deny My Property Damage Claim?

Insurers can deny property damage claims for various reasons. Although insurance companies sometimes have a legitimate basis to reject a property damage claim, some insurers may improperly assert reasons for denying property owners’ claims. Here are some common reasons you might receive a denial notice after submitting a property damage claim to your insurer:

• You Submitted an Untimely Claim – Insurance policies typically require policyholders to notify the insurer of a claim within a specific time after a loss.
• You Failed to Include Sufficient Supporting Documentation/Information – Insurers frequently deny coverage because policyholders submit insufficient information to enable the insurance company to determine the applicability of coverage or the value of the loss.
• Your Loss Occurred Outside the Policy Term – Many insurance policies only cover losses within a specific timeframe. If your property is damaged outside the timeframe listed by your policy, your insurer may deny coverage.
• Your Loss Falls Outside the Scope of Coverage – Your insurer may determine that your property damage policy does not cover your claimed losses, such as when your home suffers flood damage, as most homeowners’ insurance policies do not cover flood damage.
• Your Loss Falls Within the Scope of a Policy Exclusion – An insurer may argue that a coverage exclusion in your policy bars coverage for your property damage.
• Your Loss Falls Under Your Deductible Limit – Insurers may find that your property damage falls within the scope of coverage but that the value of the loss totals less than your deductible, making you wholly responsible for the cost of the damage.
• You Breached the Terms of Your Policy – An insurer may deny a property damage claim because an insured violated the terms of their policy, such as failing to pay premiums or not implementing safety measures required by the insurer.

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

The Louisiana insurance good faith statute imposes a duty of good faith and fair dealing upon insurers, giving them an affirmative obligation to process claims fairly and promptly and to make reasonable efforts to settle claims. An insurer who breaches this duty by acting in bad faith may face liability in a bad faith insurance claim. The law identifies several kinds of conduct by insurers that may constitute bad faith, such as:

• Misrepresenting material factors or policy provisions
• Failing to pay insurance settlements timely
• Denying coverage or attempting to settle based on an application changed without the insured’s knowledge or consent
• Arbitrarily denying or failing to pay claims

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

In Louisiana, state law gives you the right to have your property damage claim adjusted and paid within a reasonable time.

In particular, an insurer must either pay or make a written offer to settle a property damage claim within 30 days of receiving satisfactory proof of the insured’s loss. Once you and your insurer agree to a settlement, the insurance company must pay the agreed-upon compensation within 30 days.

When an insurer fails to process your claim in a timely manner or denies it in bad faith, you may have a legal claim against the insurer to recover additional compensation on top of your property damage loss.

What Should I Do if My Property Damage Claim Was Denied?

Should your insurer deny your property damage claim for a potentially incorrect or wrongful reason, you can fight back by taking the following steps:

• Gather documentation and information related to your claim, such as photos of the damage, temporary repairs you made to your property, repair quotes you obtained from contractors, or appraisals from independent adjusters.
• Keep copies of all correspondence from the insurance company, including notes you took of phone calls with adjusters.
• Review the insurance company’s denial letter to understand the reasons for denying your claim.
• Review your policy terms to confirm your coverage’s scope and understand your insurer’s process for contesting a denial (including when you must file an internal appeal or request for reconsideration).

Finally, contact a property damage insurance claim attorney in Baton Rouge as soon as possible to get help pursuing your claims after your insurer initially denies them.

How Long Do I Have to File a Property Damage Claim in Louisiana?

Your property insurance policy will contain deadlines for filing property damage claims or notifying your insurer that you may have suffered a loss on your property. Filing a claim or contacting your insurer after these deadlines expire risks losing your right to compensation for your property damage.

Should you have grounds for a bad faith insurance claim against your insurer, Louisiana law requires you to file your lawsuit within 10 years after the denial of your claim. However, insurance policies can set a shorter deadline for such claims. You can best protect your rights by reviewing your policy to determine the applicable time limits for your claims.

What Are Best Practices for Filing a Property Insurance Claim?

You can improve your chances of filing a successful property damage insurance claim by taking the following steps:

• Take photos of the property damage as soon as possible.
• Make temporary repairs to the property, such as boarding up broken windows or doors or putting tarps over damaged roof sections, to prevent further damage from storms or vandalism.
• Keep copies of any temporary accommodation expenses you incur while your property undergoes repairs, such as gas receipts, hotel/short-term rental bills, or restaurant/take-out costs.
• List all damaged personal property, such as furniture, appliances, and electronics. Gather receipts or invoices for such property, or document when you purchased the items and how much you paid. Do not discard the items until an adjuster from your insurance company has seen them.
• Review your insurance policy to understand the details of your coverage, such as policy exclusions and your deductible requirements.
• Have contractors or an independent adjuster provide estimates for repair/replacement expenses.
• Consult a property damage insurance claim lawyer in Baton Rouge.

What Does Proof of Loss Mean?

Proof of loss is a document that a policyholder submits to their insurance company to file a formal property damage claim.

In a proof of loss document, a policyholder states under oath basic information about their claim, including what property was damaged, the nature of the damage, and the amount of money the policyholder requests for compensation from the insurance company.

The proof of loss allows the insurer to investigate the policyholder’s claim to determine whether to accept or deny the claim or make a different settlement offer. Failing to file a proof of loss within the timeframe required by the insurance policy may result in the claim’s denial.

Contact a Baton Rouge Property Damage Insurance Claim Lawyer Today

If your insurance provider has denied your property damage claim in Baton Rouge, get the legal help you need to pursue the financial compensation you deserve from your insurance company. Let the dedicated legal team at ICHQ advocate for your rights and interests.

Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a Baton Rouge property damage attorney. We can discuss your legal options for seeking insurance benefits after your home or business sustains property damage.