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Things To Consider About Your Sinkhole Claim

What is happening to my home? What are these cracks in my floor? My walls? My ceilings? Do I have a sinkhole? How can I tell if my home has one? If so, what do I do? Will my insurance company pay for this? Do I have a sinkhole claim?

Even though you may not have the answers to these questions, an experienced sinkhole attorney at Wells Law Group, P.A., does and he’s here to help.

Properly Addressing A Sinkhole On Your Property

When faced with the prospect of damage from a sinkhole, you may feel panicked and not know which way to turn. After all, your home — your biggest investment — could be developing cracks or may even be swallowed up by the ground right before your eyes. It’s not a good feeling, but Wells Law Group, P.A., can help.

Sinkhole insurance laws in Florida have changed in recent years, including the types of damages covered, even what qualifies as a sinkhole loss and much more. Attorney Kim Wells has decades of experience dealing with insurance companies all over the state. Our firm is familiar with sinkholes and the problems associated with them.

Is My Insurance Coverage Adequate For A Sinkhole?

If you live in Pasco or Hernando counties, you may not have coverage for sinkhole damages unless your home experiences an actual collapse. Due to changes in the law several years ago, unless there is an actual “collapse” — which, for the purposes of insurance, is a large gaping hole into which your home is falling — you are probably not insured for loss from the sinkhole.

The legislation regarding these counties allowed insurance companies to replace your prior coverage with “collapse only” coverage. Since that time, additional sinkhole coverage is “by request.” As such, there is an extra charge for it.

Regardless of where you live, dealing with a sinkhole is a stressful and confusing problem. Here is how Wells Law Group, P.A., can help. We can:

  • Identify the sinkhole — Not every crack in the foundation, wall, floor or ceiling of your home, or every hole or depression in the ground will turn out to be a sinkhole. In addition, due to legislative changes in 2011, now only damage to the home that qualifies as structural damage will result in a valid sinkhole claim. Wells Law Group, P.A., will hire an experienced structural engineer to determine the existence of structural damage and, if present, retain a geologist or geotechnical engineer to conduct appropriate testing at your home to determine if a sinkhole is causing damage.
  • Deal with the insurer — At times, an insurer will try to claim that damage is not sinkhole-related. We have vast experience dealing with insurance companies that hire “experts” who have the insurer’s best interests at heart, not yours! We make sure to obtain a nonbiased report so that you receive the coverage for which you have paid.
  • Recover sufficient payment — Managing attorney Kim Wells at Wells Law Group, P.A., will make sure that your insurer doesn’t leave you with insufficient funds to repair the sinkhole damage. If the insurer comes up with a plan that is inadequate to truly repair the damage and stabilize the home, our firm will retain an independent engineer who will provide a plan to properly and completely remediate the sinkhole and stabilize the insured property.
  • Address failed sinkhole repairs — Insurers are notorious for making only minimal repairs to sinkhole-damaged property. Unfortunately, if the problem is not adequately corrected, new damage may occur that only creates more headaches for the property owner. Our firm knows how to successfully handle claims for failed sinkhole repairs and how to get you the damages you need to cover the proper extent of damage to your home.

Guidance When You Need It

Insurance companies have dozens of attorneys on staff to help minimize the amount you are paid for your claim. By hiring Wells Law Group, P.A., you are no longer an individual against an adjuster and multiple levels of claims professionals along with a bunch of lawyers paid specifically to devise a way to pay you as little as possible.

Rest Assured — You Are In Experienced Hands

Don’t trust your sinkhole claim to just anyone — certainly not an insurance company that likely does not have your best interests in mind. Call our law office in Tampa at 813-413-7377 to have your concerns addressed right away. You can also request an online case evaluation.