Lakeland Water Damage Insurance Lawyer

Plumbing Pipe-Appliance Leaks

Even in storm-laden Florida, most interior water damage claims don’t come from storm damage; they come from plumbing pipe or appliance leaks. Leaks like these can cause structural damage, ruin furnishings, and require invasive, costly and time-consuming repairs. Unfortunately, when it comes to filing a claim for property damage in these situations, insurance companies have a handful of excuses locked and loaded to deny your claim: the leak was caused by normal wear and tear, the damage is from an old leak, you failed to prevent the damage, the type of damage (such as mold) isn’t covered… the list goes on.

You buy property insurance to protect you from water damage and other harm. When the insurance company turns down your claim, you are left footing the bill for expensive repairs you maybe can’t afford to make but can’t afford not to make either. It’s at times like these that you need an experienced insurance lawyer on your side who understands insurance policies and Florida insurance law and can make sure you are being treated fairly. Our attorney Michael Ruel spent over 15 years representing insurance companies faced with property damage claims. He knows how insurance companies operate and how they deal with claims, and he uses this knowledge to help home and business owners get the benefit of the insurance they purchased. If your property has suffered damage or loss due to plumbing pipe or appliance leaks in Central Florida, contact our experienced Lakeland water damage claims lawyer today for a free consultation regarding your claim.

Plumbing Pipe and Appliance Leaks Can Be Disastrous

Plumbing pipe and appliance leaks can force you out of your home or shut down your business until repairs can be made and the damage remediated. A burst pipe can cause massive flooding, leading to ruined walls, floors, furniture for homeowners, and business inventory and equipment for commercial enterprises. Remediating water damage requires drying out the affected areas, repairing or replacing pipes, and restoring or replacing damaged walls and flooring. The total bill can be expensive; not only do you want to make sure your claim is accepted, but you also want to make sure you get full value for the damage caused.

The Ruel Law Firm can help you with your water damage claim based on plumbing pipe or appliance leaks in your home or business, including:

• Pipes
• Washing machines
• Dishwashers
• Refrigerators
• Water heaters

Regardless of the cause of the leak, the damage to your property is the same, so it can be frustrating to hear that your damage isn’t covered. Water damage can come from a burst pipe, burst hoses, leaks at pipe junctures, cracks in water lines such as your refrigerator’s ice maker, a leaking toilet, a clogged drain, sewer backup, an overflowing toilet, or countless other ways. For some causes, the insurer will reject the claim outright, while for others they will look more closely at the reason behind the failure to see if they can evade responsibility. For instance, they might say your leak occurred slowly over time and was due to normal wear and tear that you should have dealt with through preventive maintenance. But a leak can go on for some time before visible signs start to appear, so when is a leak your responsibility and when is it the insurer’s? Your policy might exclude mold damage except when the mold is caused by a covered leak; can you prove what caused the mold? If a sudden catastrophic pipe failure (covered) was preceded by a slow leak (not covered), guess which cause the insurer will attribute your damage to.

Wear and tear, failure to mitigate, preexisting damage, noncovered events, excluded damage, and slow leaks versus catastrophic failures; these are just some of the many excuses insurance companies come up with to deny valid property damage claims. The Ruel Law Firm has the experience and expertise needed to know what your policy says, what the law says, and help you get the benefits you are entitled to.

Getting Full Compensation for Water Damage Claims

In addition to making sure your claim is accepted, another danger policyholders face is settling their claim without knowing all the damage involved. Don’t expect the insurance company to dig into the structure and root out all the damage they can find before cutting you a check; they are more likely to calculate a settlement based on visible damage only. An experienced property damage insurance claims lawyer will know to conduct a more thorough investigation and help you get the full benefit of your insurance policy.

Contact the Ruel Law Firm Today

For help with water damage claims in Central Florida caused by plumbing pipe or appliance leaks, the Ruel Law Firm is here to make sure your claim is accepted and that you receive appropriate compensation for the damage caused. Whether negotiating a settlement or going to court, you can count on our attorney to diligently represent you based on well over a decade of experience in the field of property damage insurance claims. Call our Lakeland water damage claims lawyer today.