Florida Homeowners Insurance Claims
Residential property damage representation for denied, underpaid, delayed, and managed repair claims.
Damage to a home is difficult enough. The situation becomes more serious when an insurer denies coverage, underestimates the repairs, delays its decision, or takes control of the work through a managed repair program that does not restore the property.
Schatzman & Hovanyecz, P.A. represents Florida homeowners, condominium owners, renters, and residential property owners in insurance disputes and related damage claims.
Discuss Your Claim
Free consultation • No recovery, no fee
What Is Happening With Your Claim?
Most residential insurance disputes begin with one of three problems.
Denied
The insurer says the loss is excluded, caused by wear or maintenance, reported too late, or otherwise not covered.
Underpaid
Coverage is accepted, but the payment does not account for the complete repair scope, pricing, matching, access, or related damage.
Delayed or Mishandled
Repeated inspections, incomplete communications, shifting explanations, or unresolved repair issues leave the property in limbo.
Residential Claims We Handle
These are the residential loss categories that most often lead to coverage, scope of repairs, or valuation disputes.
Managed Repair
Right-to-repair elections, contractor delays, incomplete work, additional damage, missing credits, and unresolved expenses.
Water and Plumbing
Supply line leaks, appliances, drain backups, overflows, tear-out, drying, hidden damage, and repair scope.
Hurricane and Roof
Wind, storm, roof, window, door, exterior, interior, and resulting water damage.
Fire, Smoke, and Mold
Structural damage, contents, smoke contamination, remediation, testing, and habitability.
Theft, Vandalism, and Loss of Use
Building and personal property damage, temporary housing, additional living expenses, and displaced occupants.
Condominium and Renters
Neighboring unit water, association issues, common elements, personal property, relocation, and third-party responsibility.
Explore Common Claim Issues
What these disputes can involve:
Disputes frequently extend beyond a single estimate. They may involve matching, access and tear-out, flooring and cabinetry, personal property, temporary housing, contractor-caused damage, repair credits, and work left incomplete.
Managed Repair and Right-to-Repair
Some policies allow the insurer to elect to repair rather than simply pay the insured. Problems can arise when the selected contractor delays work, performs incomplete or defective repairs, fails to restore affected areas, causes additional damage, or leaves credits and expenses unresolved.
Water Damage, Plumbing Leaks, and Drain Lines
Water losses may originate from supply lines, appliances, plumbing systems, showers, roofs, air-conditioning systems, drain backups, or neighboring units. Common disputes concern the cause, hidden damage, access, tear-out, drying, remediation, and complete repair scope.
Hurricane, Wind, Storm, and Roof Damage
These claims may involve causation, pre-existing conditions, repairability, weather evidence, deductibles, and whether roof, exterior, interior, and water damage are part of the same event.
Fire, Smoke, Mold, Theft, and Vandalism
Fire and smoke can affect structures, finishes, contents, mechanical systems, and habitability. Mold disputes may involve remediation, testing, limits, and the underlying water event. Theft and vandalism claims may require proof of ownership, value, and the circumstances of the loss.
Loss of Use and Additional Living Expenses
When covered damage makes a residence uninhabitable, temporary housing, moving, storage, increased food costs, and other additional living expenses may become important while repairs are completed.
Condominium, Neighboring-Unit, and Renters’ Claims
These matters can involve unit owner coverage, association responsibilities, common elements, neighboring units, personal property, relocation, and negligent conduct by landlords, managers, contractors, vendors, or occupants.
Appraisal and Valuation Disputes
When coverage is acknowledged but the amount of loss remains disputed, the policy may contain an appraisal process. Whether appraisal is appropriate depends on the wording of the policy and the nature of the disagreement.
Talk With a Florida Property Damage Attorney
If your homeowners insurance claim has been denied, underpaid, delayed, or complicated by managed repair, call for a free consultation.