Commercial Wind & Tornado Damage
Your home or place of business may well be your single biggest investment, and the catastrophic consequences of a windstorm can justify a very sizable insurance claim for the costs of repair or rebuilding. Straight line winds, major wind gusts, tornados and other strong windstorms can cause extensive damage to your business and the property inside. These storms involve gusts of wind so strong that they can knock down trees, power lines, lift roofs, and tear off parts of a building.
Our attorneys have taken action to address many serious violations of client trust and insurance law by insurers, such as:
- Failure to investigate and assess damage promptly such as wind damage to roofs and more completely
- Hiring biased adjusters, engineers, and other “experts” who are motivated to under-assess property damages or focus on potential causes other than the windstorm
- False claims that the damage resulted from wear and tear, manufacturing defects or poor maintenance
- Excessive depreciation in insurance estimates or the improper application of a “co-insurance” penalty
- Making low-ball settlement offers or payments that cannot approach the true costs of repairing or rebuilding windstorm-damaged property
Holding insurers accountable
Profit-focused insurers have many strategies for denying, delaying, and “low-balling” such high-value wind damage to roof claims.
We are prepared to take decisive action against insurance companies, including:
- Sending independent engineers, contractors, and other experts to find and bring forth clear, specific evidence that your loss was caused by the windstorm
- Disproving an insurer’s given excuses for denying a wind damage to roof insurance claim or inadequate settlement offer, such as allegations that the damage resulted from wear and tear or that you failed to maintain the roof properly
- Ensuring that the actual cash value and the replacement cost value of your property damage is fair and accurate
We Hire Independent Roofers, Contractors, and Engineers to Value Roof Damage Insurance Claims
When we handle tornado claims, we don’t just accept the estimates provided by the insurance company’s adjusters. We obtain independent evaluations from professional experts, contractors, engineers, and independent adjusters who have extensive experience dealing with commercial tornado claims. By doing so, we are able to pursue a proper and full claim on behalf of you and your business.
Recovering From Tornado Damage to Your Business
If an insurance company fails to promptly investigate a commercial tornado claim, delays payment, fails to cover all covered damage, or denies coverage, they could be acting in bad faith. We are insurance litigation professionals who can help your business take action against its commercial insurance carrier that has operated in bad faith.
Businesses may be subject to a variety of bad faith practices, including:
- Denied property damage claims
- Claims that the damage resulted from wear and tear, poor maintenance, or other excuses
- Failure to promptly pay claims
- Failure to properly and promptly investigate and assess tornado damage claims
- Low-ball claims assessments and settlement offers
- Accusations that your building did not meet specified code requirements
Insurance law is clear. Insurance companies are required to show reasonable cause for denying or delaying payment of your tornado claim if the damage is covered under your policy. This is true for small, medium, or large commercial tornado claims.
Property Damage Claim Attorneys Targeting Fair, Just Compensation for Windstorm Victims
In many cases, wind and tornado insurance companies go beyond violating a contract when they deny your valid wind damage insurance claim. Unfair denials, extreme delays, and major under-valuations can constitute insurance bad faith, enabling recovery of other additional damages that you suffered because of bad faith conduct. If you are seeking a wind damage to roof insurance claim dispute lawyer with a track record of success, please contact Raizner Slania today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wind Damage
What is considered “wind damage”?
Wind damage is usually caused by winds that are over 50 to 60 mph. But keep in mind that these winds can be much, much greater. Wind damage stems from tornadoes and tropical events like hurricanes, but can also occur as the result of random, everyday weather events.
Wind damage may be any damage that is caused by heavy winds, including loss of shingles or siding, roof damage, blown-out windows, fallen trees on your commercial building, and so forth. Every insurance company – and policy – will vary so it is best to review your coverage for a thorough understanding.
What steps should I take if my commercial property has suffered wind damage?
If high winds – or storms producing high winds – come through your area, be sure to inspect the property thoroughly. Even if you don’t see any damage or very little damage, there could be deeper issues that are not always visible to the untrained eye. If necessary, call in a professional to assess the situation and identify any problem areas.
Review the coverage of your insurance policy – as well as the steps you need to take to submit a claim. Then, file your claim.
If necessary, make any temporary repairs to protect your assets under the roof until the insurance adjuster arrives. It is always a good idea to take pictures of the damage and document any temporary fix you make.
How long do I have to file a claim for wind damage on my commercial property?
While many insurance companies allow 1 to 2 years to file a claim, you want to refer specifically to your insurance policy as any limits of time will be listed there. However, you should act as soon as possible. Not only does this allow you to get the damage taken care of quickly, but it also makes it easier for adjusters and other experts to do their job since the damage is fresh.
How can a tornado impact my business?
Tornadoes can cause an immense amount of damage. Their heavy winds can not only rip through structures but can also destroy everything in their path. And, the flying debris they stir up can be catapulted straight into your business – even if you aren’t in the direct path. A roof can easily be torn off, windows shattered, and so much more. If it happens during a rainstorm, a lost or damaged roof could then lead to water damage, too.
Tornadoes can cause total destruction at your business and leave your neighbor completely untouched. Depending on how your business fares during the tornado, you may have a damaged structure, or you may be dealing with the loss of inventory, power outage, downed servers, damaged vehicles, and more.
What should I do if my business was damaged by a tornado?
If your business was damaged by a tornado, wait until it is safe to access and then begin to assess the damage. If the extent of the damage is significant, you should file a claim with your insurance company.
Take pictures and/or record videos of the damage and document everything. Be thorough. This is important for your claim and your records. If you do any minor repairs right away, document this too and keep receipts.
Do most insurance companies cover tornado damage to a business?
Yes, most insurance companies cover tornado damage to a business without it being considered special coverage. Tornadoes are often lumped into the same general category as windstorms. If your business is located in an area where tornadoes are common, be sure to review your policy carefully to confirm you are covered before it is too late.
How long do I have to file a claim if my business was damaged in a tornado?
The terms of your insurance policy dictate the amount of time that you have to file a tornado damage claim for your business. So, thoroughly read your policy so that you understand the details and don’t lose out on the coverage you’ve paid for. However, it should be noted that most policies allow one (1) year from the date the damage occurred for a claim to be filed.
Repairs and restoration cannot commence until your claim is filed, so you don’t want to delay.
What should I do if my insurance claim for tornado damage was denied?
Unfortunately, insurance companies look out for their own interests, not yours. If your claim has been denied or delayed – or if you were offered an unreasonably low settlement offer – then it is time to contact the law firm of Raizner Slania at (844) 554-9099. Your business is much too precious to allow illegitimate insurance practices to prevent you from returning to full operational status as soon as possible.
If you feel as though you are not getting the compensation you deserve from your insurance company, contact Raizner Slania, LLP at (844) 554-9099 before you discuss your claim any further with the insurance company. We have our own team of experts that can investigate your claim and present your loss as clearly as possible to get you the money you deserve.