Commercial Hail Damage
Hail damage frequently devastates the operation of buildings and commercial properties, such as office buildings, shopping malls, industrial facilities, churches and apartment complexes. The longer the insurance company disputes your business’s legitimate hail damage to roof insurance claims, the more damage that can occur to your commercial property and your business’s relationships with clients and customers.
Recovering From Hail Damage to Your Business
If an insurance carrier acts in bad faith, denying the full cost of building replacement and/or property repair, we can help you take action. We are insurance litigation professionals who know the insurance business and how to protect your rights. Many of our lawyers have even represented insurance companies in the past, and this experience gives us valuable insight into how your insurer conducts its business.
If you have experienced any of the following after submitting a commercial hail damage claim, contact us today:
- Denied property damage claims
- Denials based on policy exclusions such as wear and tear, poor maintenance, faulty construction and manufacturing defects
- The application of excessive depreciation
- Failure to promptly pay the full amount of the claim
- Inexperienced or incompetent adjusters who fail to fully evaluate the damage
- Dishonest, biased or incorrect engineering reports and opinions from the insurance company’s hand-selected consultants
- Failure to properly investigate and assess hail damage claims promptly
- Low-ball claims assessments and settlement offers
- Misapplication of co-insurance penalties and other unfounded excuses
- Accusations that your building did not meet specified code requirements
The insurance industry is heavily regulated, and the law is clear. Insurance companies are required to show a reasonable basis for denying or delaying payment, if the policy clearly covers certain weather-related damages. If your commercial hail damage to roof insurance claim has been denied, disputed, or held up for unexplained or unjustified reasons, we can help your business recover what it is owed.
We Hire Independent Roofers, Contractors, and Engineers to Value the Damage
When we handle commercial hail damage to roof insurance claims, we do not simply accept the estimates provided by the insurance company’s adjusters. We obtain independent evaluations from professional experts, contractors, meteorologists, engineers, and independent adjusters. By doing so, we are able to determine the correct amount of your damages and how much we should seek in compensation on your behalf.
Free Consultation and Contingency Fee Basis
If your commercial insurance carrier has denied, delayed, or disputed your hail damage to roof insurance claim, an experienced insurance litigation attorney at Raizner Slania can help. Our lawyers have earned nationwide recognition for helping policyholders fight for their rightful claims against insurance companies that operate in bad faith. Please contact us today for a free initial consultation. We handle all bad faith insurance litigation cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you will not pay attorney’s fees unless we help you recover on your claim.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hail Damage
What damage can hail cause to my business?
Hail can appear during any regular thunderstorm. It can be unexpected with little, if any, time to prepare. This leaves your business very vulnerable to its power.
While you may never think that hail can devastate a business, you may be surprised at how easy it can cause property damage. These little hard hailstones that are just an accessory to a much bigger storm pack a lot of power.
To a business, hail can:
- Cause roof damage.
- Damage outdoor equipment, machinery, or assets.
- Injure employees.
- Break windows on your building.
- Damage siding.
- Damage vehicles and break their windows, too.
- Put holes in screens.
Any of these things can cause enough damage to halt business – or lead to further devastation, such as with an exposed inventory due to a damaged roof.
Should I fix my commercial roof after a hail storm?
File a claim with your insurance company, but know that waiting on an adjuster and funds could take a long time. If your commercial roof was damaged in a hail storm, you will want to assess the damage. Take care of immediate repairs (even with a temporary fix). Be sure to document everything and keep receipts. Submit copies of all of this to your insurance company as part of the claim.
How do I file a hail insurance claim for my business?
After your business has suffered damage due to hail, assess your damage and determine if it is necessary to file a claim with your insurance company. If it is, then be sure to photograph and document the damage. Be thorough and specific.
Every insurance company will have its own process for filing claims. So, it is best if you reach out to the company directly to get the claims process started. Be sure to let your insurer know if the damage is severe and if the need is an emergency.
An insurance adjuster will then visit your commercial property. In the meantime, save receipts for anything you have purchased and repaired — and keep a record of your claim documents.
Finally, wait for a claims decision from your carrier.
What happens during a commercial hail damage claim process?
During the commercial hail damage claim process, an insurance adjuster will come to your property to assess the damage. It is wise to hire your own public adjuster to assess the damage during this time, too. This individual will work for you – and not the insurance company. You can compare the public adjuster’s damage estimate to the insurer’s to know whether you need to get ready to fight.
Is there a time limit when reporting a commercial hail damage claim?Â
The time limit for filing claims will vary based on your insurance policy. Most policyholders have one (1) year from the date the damage occurred to file a claim with their carrier. Be sure to thoroughly review your policy to know the time limit as it applies to you and your business. In addition, a best practice is to file your claim as soon as possible after the hail storm.
Does recoverable depreciation impact my commercial hail damage claim in Texas?
Yes, it does, as long as it is stated in your policy. Your insurance company is technically only required to give you the value of your lost item minus depreciation. In other words, the insurance company won’t pay you for the cost of a new roof, but rather the value of your old roof minus the depreciation.
Once the repairs are made, then the insurance company is required to pay you the depreciation value it initially removed.
What happens if my commercial hail damage claim was denied?
If your commercial property has suffered hail damage and the claim was denied by the insurance company then you need to contact the law firm of Raizner Slania today at (844) 554-9099. We handle bad faith insurance litigation cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you will not pay us anything unless we help you recover monetary compensation.
Get your claim rightfully paid so your business can thrive again.