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A new law, signifying a significant development for policyholders in Louisiana, has passed, forbidding property insurance policies from containing provisions that deny an insured individual’s right to hire a public adjuster. Before the introduction of this new law, insurance policies with anti-public adjuster clauses prevented policyholders from hiring a public adjuster. The legislation aims to provide all policyholders and businesses with greater control and expertise in navigating insurance claims.

On June 12, 2023, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signed into law a bill from Sen. Royce Duplessis, D-New Orleans, and Rep. Ray Garafalo, R-Chalmette, that prohibits insurance carriers from inserting anti-public adjuster clauses into property insurance policies. The new law (SB156) in Louisiana will take effect on August 1, 2023, and allow all policyholders to hire public adjusters.

Benefits for Policyholders:

Removing the anti-public adjuster clauses is a significant win for policyholders in Louisiana. Here are some key benefits that policyholders can expect:

Expertise and Representation:

Licensed professionals with in-depth knowledge of insurance policies and claims processes, public adjusters actively operate. They can assess the full extent of damages, and strive for fair compensation per the policy.

Time & Stress Reduction:

Navigating an insurance claim can be a complex and time-consuming process. By engaging a public adjuster, policyholders can offload the burden of handling paperwork, documentation, and negotiations. This allows them to focus on other important aspects of recovery, such as restoring their property or business.

Maximizing Claim Settlements:

Public adjusters skillfully value losses accurately and ensure fair compensation for policyholders. They can help policyholders avoid potential underpayments or claim denials, leading to maximized settlements.

Rules and Regulations for Public Adjusters in Louisiana:

While the new law in Louisiana enables policyholders to hire public adjusters, it’s important to understand the existing rules and regulations governing their operations. Here are some key points to note:

Licensing:

Public adjusters in Louisiana are required to obtain a license from the Louisiana Department of Insurance (LDI). Additionally, the licensing process involves meeting certain criteria, including background checks and the successful completion of an examination.

Fee Limitations:

Public adjusters charge fees for their services, typically calculated as a percentage of the insurance claim settlement. In Louisiana, these fees are regulated and should conform to state guidelines. Policyholders should discuss fee arrangements with the public adjuster before signing any contract.

Contractual Agreements:

Public adjusters must provide written contracts to policyholders, outlining the terms and conditions of their services. The contract must clearly state the fees, scope of work, and any additional expenses that policyholders may incur during the claims process.

Prohibited Activities:

Public adjusters are prohibited from participating in any deceptive or fraudulent practices. Furthermore, they have a fiduciary responsibility, must act ethically and in the best interests of the policyholders they represent. Violations of these regulations can lead to disciplinary actions by the LDI.

Louisiana’s new law granting policyholders the ability to hire public adjusters is a significant step toward empowering individuals and businesses when dealing with insurance claims. With the expertise and representation provided by public adjusters, policyholders can expect a smoother and more favorable claims experience. By leveraging this new legislation, policyholders can navigate the complexities of the insurance world with confidence, knowing they have dedicated professionals on their side.

Premier Claims Louisiana #765044

The post-recovery after a hurricane can be a challenging and stressful experience. Understanding damage assessment, contacts, and expectations post-hurricane as a local resident can ease recovery burdens significantly.

Assessing Hurricane Damage & Mitigation

Prior to the storm, we recommend following a detailed checklist, having your property inspected, and accurately documenting the current condition of the property. (Read Prepare before the storm, Review Your Policy, Tips & Dangers or Mitigation for more information)

After the storm has passed, your responsibility as a policyholder will be to assess the damages to your property and mitigate further damage. We recommend inspecting the exterior of your property looking for any broken or loose materials. In addition, inspect the interior of your property for water leakage or pooling water. Early connection, detailed documentation of damage, and mitigation strategies are vital for your insurance claim process.

Important Contacts After the Hurricane

In regards to property damage after a hurricane, there is a significant need for mitigation professionals, inspectors, and contractors in the community. Insurance carriers will also experience an increase in call volume and claims coming in from the community. Prior to the storm, we advise having a list of important contact information including your insurance carrier, mitigation companies, contractors, government authorities, medical assistance during a disaster, and your local Red Cross.

Our team is readily available during a hurricane. In the aftermath of the storm, we take over the communication, scheduling, and coordination with your insurance carrier, inspectors, mitigation companies, and contractors. We take the burden of handling the devastating damage from the hurricane so you can have a full focus on your family, health & safety following the storm.

What to Expect as a Resident

As a resident, you can expect the recovery process to take time. The immediate aftermath of a hurricane can be chaotic and challenging, often requiring a great deal of patience and persistence. Communities will come together to overcome the struggles of power outages, limited access to food and water, as well as the extensive damage to homes, businesses, and natural resources.

Keep informed about the latest updates and instructions from location authorities to help you navigate the recovery process. The days and weeks following a hurricane may result in delays of power recovery and availability of essential services. It’s important to be prepared to live without essential services for a period of time, and to come together as a community to support one another as you navigate the recovery from the hurricane’s impact.

Hurricanes are among the most destructive natural disasters, bringing devastatingly high winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surges that can cause widespread damage and loss of life. These powerful storms can strike coastal areas and inland regions with little warning, and leaving residents with only a short amount of time to prepare. In this blog, we’ll explore the dangers & tips for a hurricane so that you can weather the storm.

Dangers

Understanding some of the most severe dangers posed will better prepare you for anything the storm throws your way.

- Devastating Winds: A hurricane can be accompanied by strong winds up to 200 miles per hour. These winds can cause significant damage to buildings or completely destroy them. Vehicles, infrastructure, power lines, and trees are all susceptible to immense damage and can become airborne, which poses its own dangers.

- Heavy Rainfall: Alongside devastating winds, hurricanes bring flood-inducing rains potentially causing landslides. Rising sea levels have provided hurricanes with an ample supply of water to produce monstrous storm surges.

- Storm Surges: When water level rises dramatically at abnormally high levels storm surges occur and they have the ability to travel several miles inland. Storm surges wreak havoc and leave destruction for miles.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, Governor DeSantis of Florida surveys the destruction that spread across Fort Myers. In an interview with BBC, DeSantis comments, “To see a house just sitting in the middle of Estero Bay, literally must have gotten picked up, flown because of the massive wind speed and the storm surge and depositing in a body of water.”

Tips

It’s clear hurricanes are forces to be reckoned with, destructive, dangerous, and downright terrifying. For your safety, it is important to properly prepare and have plans in place.

- Evacuate: If local authorities have given the order to evacuate, listen and follow the prescribed protocols. Don’t wait.
- Supplies: Stock up! The time to prepare is before the storm (previous post link). This is important whether you evacuate or stay, but it’s all the more crucial if you weather the storm. You need several days, to weeks, of supplies to be prepared.
- Secure your Property: If you haven’t read our Day 3 Post for Hurricane Preparedness Week, Review Your Policy– We discuss the importance of reviewing your policy and why it’s important to not only protect your property from potential damage, but document it.
- Stay Informed: Always have access to current weather information from your local authorities and the National Hurricane Center. FloridaDisaster.org recommends an NOAA Weather Radio that is battery operated or hand cranked. For a downloadable checklist, click here!
- Stay Indoors: The volatility of a hurricane poses too high a risk to venture outdoors once the hurricane hits. Avoid windows and doors.

Be informed and prepared to endure the devastatingly high winds, heavy rainfall, and storm surges hurricanes bring. Widespread damage will be imminent. However, employing these tips and knowledge about this destructive natural disaster gives you the best chance at safety and security. For more information on the dangers & tips for a hurricane, please visit Prepare before the storm.

To protect yourself in the event of a future hurricane, one of the most important ways you can prepare is by reviewing your policy coverage. For Hurricane Preparedness Week, we will outline a few of the key aspects to consider in your policy: deductible, building coverage, and the importance of inspecting your property with photo documentation.

Deductible

Hurricane coverage deductibles are either be a fixed dollar amount or a percentage of the insured value. Percentage deductibles are more common as they will not increase premiums as much as a fixed dollar amount deductible. However, if you’re located in a hurricane prone area, it is crucial to know what type of deductible is in your policy and the financial responsibility you would have if a hurricane damaged your property.

For instance, say you have $400,000 in coverage to your building and your policy has a 2% deductible. After a hurricane, your insurance claim is settled at $50,000 for property damage, but you receive a check for $42,000 — You’re responsible for paying the percentage deductible of $8,000 out-of-pocket to restore your building.

Reviewing Policy (1)

Building Coverage

Building coverage is an essential part of any policyholder’s insurance policy. It provides protection for the structure of your home, including the roof, walls, foundation, and other structures such as a garage or shed. In the event of a hurricane, this coverage will help you repair or rebuild your home if it is damaged.

The amount of building coverage you need will depend on a variety of factors, including the size of your home, the materials it is made of, and the cost of construction in your area. As a general rule, you should have enough coverage to rebuild your home from the ground up if it is completely destroyed. An Actual Cash Value policy pays what your property is worth today, whereas a Replacement Cost Value policy will pay the cost to repair or replace your property without deducting for depreciation. To learn more, visit our blog “What is Recoverable Depreciation?”

Flood Damage Insurance

Another factor to consider when purchasing building coverage is whether your policy includes coverage for flood damage. Flooding is a common occurrence during hurricanes, and it can cause significant damage to your home. If you live in a flood-prone area, you may want to consider purchasing a separate flood insurance policy to ensure that you are fully protected.

Coverage Limits and Exclusions

When purchasing building coverage, it’s important to read your policy carefully and understand the coverage limits, and exclusions. For instance, a roof exclusion could specify that the insurance carrier will not pay for damages to the roof as a result of wind or other events, such as a hurricane. A cosmetic exclusion could put you at risk of having to justify the necessity for repairs or replacement if the insurance carrier classifies the damage as cosmetic.

Policy Requirements

You should also be aware of any requirements your insurance company may have for hurricane preparations, such as installing storm shutters or reinforcing your roof. Failure to do any hurricane preparations can put you at risk for a denied or underpaid claim. Read more in yesterday’s blog, “Prepare before the storm”

Property Current Condition

One of the most important steps that is often overlooked by policyholders is to get their property inspected and take pictures before a hurricane hits. Doing so can provide solid evidence of the condition of their property before the hurricane and make it easier to assess the damage caused by the hurricane.

Here are a few reasons why it is essential to get your property inspected and take pictures before a hurricane:

Documentation of property condition: By getting your property inspected and taking pictures, you can document the condition of your property before the hurricane. This can be helpful when filing a claim with your insurance carrier, as it provides clear evidence of the state of your property before the storm hit. This includes documenting and taking pictures of personal property that is included in your policy.
Evidence of damage: By having pictures of your property before the hurricane, you can provide solid evidence of the damage caused by the hurricane. This evidence can help expedite the process and ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve.
Accurate assessments: By having pictures of your property before the hurricane, you can ensure that inspectors and adjusters have an accurate picture of the extent of the damage caused by the hurricane. This is critical when negotiating estimates and showing every aspect of the structure that needs to be repaired or replaced per your policy.

The Good News

Our team provides free policy reviews and property inspections. If you have concerns over your current insurance policy, our team of legal experts will complete a thorough review and outline potential gaps in coverage or risks. Our inspection & adjusting team will gather the necessary documentation and pictures required prior to any hurricane damage. In addition, we will continue to monitor your property, and in the event you experience severe damage, we begin the claim process on your behalf immediately to get you paid faster. Contact us today to get your free policy review and inspection!

Being Hurricane Preparedness Week and with hurricane season quickly approaching, it is important you and your family are prepared by planning ahead. To prepare before the storm, we suggest focusing on four areas: Hurricane information & evacuation plan, strengthening your home & business, updating & reviewing your insurance policy, and stocking your supplies.

Hurricane Information & Evacuation Plan

If you live in a hurricane prone area, it is critical that you have a list of ways you can get trusted hurricane information readily available. We suggest bookmarking National Weather Service, Ready and national news outlets on your mobile devices for immediate access to information. In addition, social media can be a great source of real time updates — Join the latest Facebook group for the named Hurricane to receive multiple updates from various sources.

For your safety, planning a general evacuation plan and knowing alternative routes can save you time and stress when a hurricane strikes. When a hurricane is approaching, make sure you communicate your evacuation plan with someone else outside of the storm’s path.

Corner business with windows boarded up

Strengthen Your Home & Business

Take a walk around your home and your business and look at areas that may be vulnerable in the event of a hurricane. Trimming trees regularly can help prevent excessive broken branches that can cause damage. Minimizing the number of outside loose items, such as patio furniture & recreational equipment, will reduce the amount of time you need to properly secure the items prior to the storm hitting. In advance, we recommend having the necessary materials to board up any windows to protect them from flying debris.

If you have not had your roof or property inspected in the past 12 months, we recommend having a contractor or public adjuster confirm the structural integrity of your roof and home. The inspection will include photos and documentation of the current condition of your home. Should your home experience damage during a hurricane, the inspection documentation will be crucial evidence in getting your home back to its prior condition. We offer free home inspections — Give us a call today to schedule!

Update & Review Your Insurance Policy

We recommend having your insurance policy reviewed by a third party for a detailed review of coverage. Flooding is the leading cause of damage from hurricanes and many policyholders in hurricane prone areas are not required to have this coverage. In addition, your insurance policy may outline specific preparation steps that are required in order to ensure damages are covered. Our team of legal experts provide free policy reviews and will outline any gaps in your current coverage, and what steps must be taken prior to the storm hitting per your policy. If you’d like to have your policy reviewed — Contact us or send your policy to info@premier-claims.com.

Prepare before the storm Hurricane Preparation Checklist

Stock Your Supplies

Waiting until the hurricane is announced to stock your supplies could put you at risk of being unable to obtain the emergency supplies you need. According to Chuck Duncan, a Florida Ace Hardware employee in a local interview with CBS 4 News, says it is normal for residents to wait until the announcement before they head to the stores for supplies: “Usually within a few days after it comes out that it [the hurricane] is coming this way, they start coming in.”

During and after a hurricane, you may need supplies to keep your family safe and healthy. However, once a hurricane is announced, there is a mass surge of people going to stores and supplies are limited. We recommend gathering supplies early in the season in May or June prior to a potential hurricane hitting land. You can be prepared by including the following:

Emergency supply of food & water
Emergency first aid kit & medicine supply
Emergency power sources, such as flashlights, batteries, charges, etc.
Safety & personal items
Important documents, such as medical documents, passports, policy documents, etc.
Tools & equipment for safety, such as fire extinguisher, pocket knife, etc.

For a full list of items you may need, you can find a checklist here: Download Checklist

Hurricanes are costly and can cause damage hundreds of miles from the shore. Being prepared ahead of time can be critical for your safety and recovery after the hurricane. Continue to follow us this week for more information and resources to prepare for this upcoming hurricane season!

Additional Resources

Florida Disaster
CDC Preparing for a Hurricane
National Weather Service Hurricane Plan

May 1st through the 7th is National Hurricane Preparedness Week. If you don’t live in an area prone to hurricanes, you probably haven’t given them much thought. However, if you live in Florida or the surrounding area, chances are hurricanes have impacted your life in one way or another.

How did Hurricane Preparedness Week start?

Prior to 2004, Hurricane Preparedness Week had been known as Hurricane Awareness Week. The first Hurricane Warning Service originated in Cuba and was adopted by the United States Weather Bureau during the 1870s. On June 1, 1956 the National Hurricane Center was founded in Miami, Florida.

The change from Awareness to Preparedness was an initiative to encourage communities to be prepared prior to a hurricane hitting land. Costing billions of dollars in damages every year just in the United States alone, hurricanes are considered one of Mother Nature’s most destructive events worldwide.

Outside of the United States, hurricanes are often referred to as typhoons or tropical cyclones. Other countries, such as China, experience the same destructive forces and are reported to have the most typhoons annually than any other country in the world.

With continual changes in weather patterns and rising sea levels, hurricanes will continue to be destructive storms hitting our coast. As a community, we hope we can use this week to educate our neighbors on preparing before the hurricane, how to stay safe during the storm and what to expect following a devastating hurricane.

Follow us this week as we continue to cover different topics and provide resources to prepare for this upcoming hurricane season. If you’re still battling your insurance claims from prior hurricanes, please reach out to our team members to help get you the support you need: click here.

Additional resources:

National Today Hurricane Preparedness Week,

National Weather Service Hurricane Preparedness Week

NOAA: National Hurricane Preparedness

RL Wilson Family Farms

Montgomery, Indiana
Hail Damage
May 2022

Before a claim was even filed, our team stepped in, effectively neutralizing any attempts by the insurance carrier to delay or underpay the claim. We carried out inspections of the property, both day and night, and assembled a comprehensive damage estimate for every asset involved. To speed up the process, we transparently shared all our findings with the insurance carrier, who initially estimated the claim at $1,892,000 based on our information. Not satisfied, we swiftly countered with precise costs for materials and labor, successfully elevating the settlement to an impressive $2,058,000—all in under 4 months.

Insurance Carrier Offer: $1,892,000

Premier Claims Settlement: $2,058,000 in 4 months

Confidential Chicken Farm

Ulysses, Nebraska
Hail Damage
June 2022

Our team carried out day and night inspections to accurately assess the full scope of damage to the various buildings on the property. During negotiations, we caught the insurance carrier using flawed measurements based on satellite imagery that failed to account for elevation changes. We didn’t stop there; we also presented a comprehensive plan outlining the necessary materials and procedures for proper insulation and repairs, backed by current market rates for materials and labor. The result? A successful settlement that covered full replacements for all metal roofs, and materials, and even included overhead and profit.

Insurance Carrier Offer: $204,000

Premier Claims Settlement: $1,693,000

Sanoh America Distribution Facility

Archbold, Ohio
Hail & Wind Damage | May 2022

The expansive 223,000 square-foot distribution facility experienced significant hail and wind damage, resulting in a small portion collapse. The insurance carrier enlisted an engineer to refute the more extensive hail damage, dismissing it as merely cosmetic and initially only approved repairs for the collapsed section. At this time, our team was brought on and we began to gather evidence from comprehensive on-site investigations, demonstrating the long-term repercussions of neglecting the full extent of the damage. Within six months, these efforts resulted in a reversal of decision to a full roof replacement. In addition, we were able to show historical storm activity that had impacted the building within the policy terms for more accurate dates of loss, as well as reimbursement for business interruption and loss of contents. Thanks to our diligent efforts, we successfully secured an additional $3.9 million in claim settlements.

Insurance Carrier Offer: $1,985,000

Premier Claims Settlement: $5,893,000

Louisiana New Law: Allows for Public Adjusters