Hail Damage Claims

Hailstorms throughout the United States cause more damage than hurricanes in an average year, and can be incredibly destructive, and sometimes deadly. Every year, hail causes billions of dollars in damage to homes and businesses across the United States.  Some states, like Texas, Colorado, Nebraska, and Missouri are more prone to hail than others. The good news is that most homeowners’ and commercial property damage insurance policies cover damage from hail.

Hail claims can be surprisingly complex, and as a result, insurers frequently try to find ways to underpay hail damage claims.  For example, insurers often argue that the damage was caused by wear and tear, or from older storms, or improper installation of roofing and other systems.

Unless you have considerable expertise analyzing damage claims of this nature, it is almost impossible to deal with an insurer that has taken improper and unreasonable positions. The national policyholder lawyers of Daly & Black, P.C. have handled thousands of hail claims, across the country, and have immense expertise and skilled third-party consultants that can help you navigate these claims and ensure you are fully and properly compensated.

Insurance policies covering hail claims also frequently contain complex provisions that require legal expertise. For example, policyholders are required to meet certain pre-loss conditions to file a claim, and sometimes must jump through certain “hoops” before filing any legal action. And it is common for policies to have separate deductible provisions, co-insurance clauses, and even separate exclusions, dealing solely with hail claims. Because these provisions are complex, we strongly recommend you speak to a competent professional before attempting to resolve your own hail damage claim.

If your home or property was damaged by hail, contact one of our skilled national policyholder lawyers at Daly & Black, P.C. Consultations are always free, and we collect a fee only if we are successful in getting your claim paid.

What is Severe Weather?

Generally speaking, severe weather includes:

• Strong winds/tornados
• Hail
• Thunderstorms/lightning
• Floods
• Heavy snow/blizzards
• Dust storms

These storms can cause serious damage to property such as homes, businesses, and vehicles. When they are widespread, they can result in thousands of claims being filed at the same time. When this happens, insurance companies may struggle to keep up with the influx, resulting in delays, mishandlings, and denials.

It is important to remember that a storm needn’t do widespread damage or even be considered “severe” to do damage to an individual’s property. If your home, business, or vehicle sustains damage during a storm, your insurance policy should provide you with compensation for all covered items. Unfortunately, this is not always how things work.

Legitimate claims made by policyholders for damages covered through their plan must be processed in a timely manner. Failure on the part of the insurance company to handle these cases swiftly and effectively may entitle you to take legal action.