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Wind and Hailstorm Damage in Houston

Our client’s office building was severely damaged in the wind and hailstorm that occurred in Houston on January 8th, 2016. The lawsuit against the Hanover Insurance Group was unavoidable due to their practices and the handling of our client’s insurance claim. Without anywhere else to turn, our client chose to hire us to make sure Hanover Insurance honored their commitment and paid for roof and damaged air conditioning units.

Huge Hail Causes Havoc in Houston

The wind and hailstorm dropped golfball-sized hail in Houston and the surrounding areas. The local news stations were inundated with images of people holding huge balls of hail. Our client’s property was a large commercial office building built in 1974, which featured five individual modified bitumen-style roofs. All of the facility’s air conditioning units were destroyed by the hailstorm. The roof-mounted units did not stand a chance against the sheer destructive force of the storm. Some exterior damage to the roof itself also occurred.

The Wind and Hailstorm Claim

Hanover Insurance outright denied our client’s insurance claim, stating after sending four of their adjusters, that no damage had occurred. Seeing that negotiating with their insurance company was a dead end, our client chose to sue Hanover Insurance. Our third-party adjusters evaluated the damage to the office building and determined the real property damage was far greater than nothing.

After mediation, our client was able to secure the finances to repair the roof damage and have all of the damaged air conditioning units replaced. Our client’s business would resume operations and their lives could get back to normal.

Houston Property Insurance Lawyers

We can help with your commercial property insurance claim denial. Our experienced property insurance attorneys have represented more than 1,000 clients in cases against insurance companies and aggressively protect the rights of insurance policyholders. Consultations are free. Contact us today.

 

Hurricane Harvey Damage in Texas

Port Aransas Flattened, But Not Forgotten

Hurricane Harvey Damage in Texas

At least 150,000 Texas properties were affected by Hurricane Harvey damage. Damage to the island community of Port Aransas was described as “100 percent damaged”. Our client’s home was one of those properties. Some properties are still trying to recover, even 3 years later.

Hurricane Harvey Pounds Port Aransas
On August 25, 2017, Hurricane Harvey barreled through Port Aransas, inflicting tremendous damage as it passed. Our clients’ home sustained extensive damage from the metal roofing panels being blown off of the home’s structure caused by the Category 4 winds. After the hurricane, our clients promptly submitted a homeowners insurance claim to TWIA, hoping the insurance giant would help them repair their home.

TWIA Gets It Twisted
As with most insurance policies, the client had a duty to mitigate his damages. Not wanting to leave his home exposed to the elements, the client paid out of pocket for a new roof. Even with receipts in hand, TWIA refused to reimburse for the new roof. TWIA had sent their adjusters out three times to inspect the property, but continued to deny coverage on the roof – all while the windows of the home had been shattered, the sheetrock had been ripped from the walls and trim boards were missing throughout the home. TWIA refused to reimburse for the roof, although the client had photos and invoices showing the roof had to be replaced due solely to Hurricane Harvey. 

TWIA agreed to pay for miscellaneous exterior and interior damage, but not the costly metal roof.  After applying the $35,000 deductible, our client was left without the funds necessary to continue on other necessary repairs.

Our third-party adjuster estimated the real damage to our client’s home at over $100k.

TWIA’s actions forced our client to retain an attorney so he could receive compensation for the new roof for his home. Late in 2019, the Chad T. Wilson Law Firm filed suit, on behalf of our client, against TWIA. The case was later settled during mediation netting an additional $40,000 for our client.

Houston Property Insurance Lawyers
We can help with your homeowner’s insurance claim denial. Our experienced property insurance attorneys have represented more than 1,000 clients in cases against insurance companies and aggressively protect the rights of insurance policyholders. Consultations are free. Contact us today.

tornado damaged house with a blue tarpaulin on the roof

North Texas Couple Sues for Roof Relief

North Texas Couple Sues for Roof Relief after Roof Damage

On April 2, 2017, a powerful storm blew through Tarrant County. The wind and hail created during the storm caused shingles to come loose and be blown away, exposing our client’s roof damage. 

It’s What You Know, Not WhoMetropolitan Lloyds sent their adjuster out to inspect our client’s roof damage. This adjuster had no working knowledge of slate-type roofs. The adjuster’s lack of experience, in the end, resulted in the denial of the property damage claim our client made after the storm. 

A third-party adjuster inspected the roof and determined the real property damage to be over $100,000.00. The Chad T. Wilson Law Firm sued Metropolitan Lloyds for their mishandling of our client’s home insurance claim. Ultimately, our clients received more than the estimation as the case was settled out of court.

Houston Property Insurance Lawyers
Has your homeowner’s insurance claim been denied? We can help. Representing thousands of clients against big insurance companies, our home insurance claims attorneys aggressively protect the rights of the policyholder. Our consultations are free, and you owe us nothing until we win your case. Contact us today.

law firm sued Allstate Insurance

Law Firm Sued Allstate Insurance, We Won.

The Chad T. Wilson Law Firm sued Allstate Insurance for its role in denying our client’s insurance claim. We won.

The damage done to your home is more than a financial burden; it is also physically and emotionally draining. The effort involved to secure a reasonable outcome can be monumental. Bad homeowners insurance claims adjusters flourish in this turmoil. 

Just like one of our cases out of Harris County, on August 11th, 2016. A roaring windstorm blew through Houston, Texas on that evening. Our client’s roof damage was so bad that rainwater was able to leak into the garage ceiling and saturate the sheetrock causing the sheetrock to collapse. The lack of a garage ceiling exposed live electrical wires and junction boxes. Shortly after that, unsightly yellow water stains (the precursor to mold damage and a symptom of the water leaks) began appearing throughout the house.

We Protect Our Client’s Rights to a Fair Inspection

Allstate Insurance reviewed its adjuster’s inspection of the property and ultimately denied our client’s claim, crippling our client’s chances of any form of recovery. Not such good hands, after all. Texas protects policyholders from dishonest tactics such as these. Our third-party adjuster estimated $21,500 in real property damage to our client’s home and we were ready to go after Allstate for denying a valid claim.

Not until February 24th, 2017, did our clients have some restitution. The Chad T. Wilson Law Firm sued Allstate Insurance for its role in denying our client’s insurance claim. Repairs to our client’s home finally began late October 2019. Our clients won the case and the home was repaired.

Houston Property Insurance Lawyers
We can help with your homeowner’s insurance claim denial. Our experienced property insurance attorneys have represented over 1,000 clients in cases against insurance companies, aggressively protecting the rights of insurance policyholders. Consultations are free. Contact us today.

 Allstate Insurance Denies Claim Ignoring Third-Party Adjuster

Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Company Ignores Damage to Deny Insurance Claim

Allstate Ignores Damage to Client’s Property

Our client recently filed a lawsuit against Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Company and its adjusters. A Third-party adjuster was hired after several denied claims and subpar inspections. The client’s home was seriously damaged by strong winds and a hailstorm that blew through Harris County, Texas, on May 21, 2016. Allstate and its adjusters conducted a substandard and improper inspection of our client’s property, grossly undervaluing the cost of repairs and deliberately yielding an unrealistic amount to underpay coverage.

The May 21, 2016 Storm

On May 21, 2016, a severe wind and hailstorm tore through Harris County, pelting our client’s home with hail and heavy rain. The storm damaged Plaintiff’s roof to such a degree as to cause leaks in the interior of the home. After the storm, our client promptly submitted a claim to Allstate, hoping his insurance company would help him repair his home.

Allstate Vehicle and Property Insurance Company Home Insurance Claim

Allstate assigned two adjusters to inspect the property and adjust the claim twice. The first adjuster conducted a subpar investigation, refused full coverage, and said the home suffered no damage from the storm. The second adjuster generated an estimate of only $191.25, which was well below Plaintiff’s deductible. This left our client with zero recovery necessary to make repairs to his home.

The third-party adjuster expert hired after the insurance company’s fraudulent inspection found a litany of damages that were either conveniently absent or undervalued in Allstate’s estimate.

Third-party adjuster hired to help

The third-party adjuster estimated the real damage to our client’s home at $22,076.86.

Allstate’s adjusters intentionally undervalued our client’s claims in order to maintain their jobs. They misrepresented the amount of damage, hoping our client would simply rely on their expertise and fraudulent estimates as a true representation of the property’s damages.

Allstate’s fraud forced our client to retain an attorney, just so he could get his home repaired. On August 9, 2017 the Chad T. Wilson Law Firm filed suit on behalf of our client against Allstate. The firm is suing for the amount of damages Allstate should have paid our client from the beginning, as well as fees and penalties for failing to investigate our client’s claim in a reasonable manner.

Houston Property Insurance Lawyers 

If your homeowner insurance carrier has denied your insurance claim, then we can help. The experienced attorneys at Chad T. Wilson Law Firm have represented more than 1,000 clients in cases against insurance companies. Our property insurance lawyers aggressively protect the rights of insurance policyholders. Our consultations are free, and you owe us nothing until your case is won. Contact us today to see how we can help.

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Long-Time Client of Allstate Sues for Fraud

Client Sues Allstate for Fraud and WINS!

Our client recently filed a lawsuit against Allstate and its adjuster, Michael Stoddard. The client’s home was seriously damaged in a wind and hailstorm that occurred in Fort Bend County, Texas, in May 2016. Allstate and its adjuster, Stoddard, conducted a substandard and improper inspection of our client’s property, grossly undervaluing the cost of repairs and deliberately yielding an unrealistic amount to underpay coverage.

May 13, 2016 Storm

On May 13, 2016, a wind and hail storm tore through Fort Bend County, pelting our client’s home with hail and heavy rain. Damaged areas of the property include, but are not limited to, the roof, vents, flashings, windows, window screens, fascia, gutters, downspouts, and HVAC system. After the storm, our client promptly submitted a claim to Allstate hoping her insurance company would help her repair her home.

Allstate Home Insurance Claim

Allstate assigned one of its adjusters to inspect the property and adjust the claim. The adjuster, Michael Stoddard, knowingly conducted a subpar investigation, refusing full coverage and estimating damages to total about $0.00. After applying the deductible, this left our client without any recovery to make repairs to her home. Allstate’s treatment of our client in such manner is even more egregious, considering the fact that she has maintained insurance coverage with Allstate for over forty years, always paying her premiums, fulfilling her contractual obligations.

The third-party expert hired after the insurance company’s fraudulent inspection found a litany of damages that were either conveniently absent or undervalued in Allstate’s and its adjuster, Michael Stoddard’s, estimate.

The third-party adjuster estimated the real damage to our client’s home at $20,835.14.

Allstate’s fraud forced our client to retain an attorney, just so she could get her roof, vents, flashings, windows, window screens, fascia, gutters, downspouts, and HVAC system repaired. On November 15, 2016, the Chad T. Wilson Law Firm filed suit on behalf of our client against Allstate and Michael Stoddard. The firm is suing for breach of contract, violations of the Texas Insurance Code, violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, bad faith, fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud, negligence, and gross negligence.

Texas Property Insurance Lawyers

If your homeowner insurance carrier has denied your insurance claim, then we can help. The experienced attorneys at Chad T. Wilson Law Firm have represented more than 1,000 clients in cases against insurance companies. Our property insurance lawyers aggressively protect the rights of insurance policyholders. Our consultations are free, and you owe us nothing until your case is won. Contact us today to see how we can help.

Sugar Land Couple Sues Centauri Insurance for Fraud

Our clients, a couple whose home was damaged in a severe storm, recently filed a lawsuit against Centauri Specialty Insurance Corporation and its adjuster. Centauri conducted a substandard and improper inspection of our clients’ property. They grossly undervalued the cost of repairs and deliberately yielded an unrealistic amount to underpay for coverage.

September 11, 2016 Storm

On September 11, 2016, a wind and hailstorm blew through Fort Bend County, tearing through neighborhoods as it went. Our clients’ Sugar Land home sustained extensive damage to the roof and exterior, as well as interior water damage. After the storm, they promptly submitted a claim to Centauri, hoping their insurance company would help them repair their home.

Centauri Specialty Insurance Corporation Home Insurance Claim

Centauri assigned one of its adjusters to inspect the property and adjust the claim. The adjuster knowingly conducted a subpar investigation, refusing full coverage. After applying the deductible, our clients had zero recovery necessary to make repairs to their home.

The third-party expert hired after the insurance company’s negligent inspection found a litany of damages that Centauri’s adjuster conveniently left out or undervalued in his estimate.

The third party adjuster estimated the real damage to our clients’ home at nearly $47,900.

Centauri’s adjuster intentionally undervalued our clients’ claims in order to maintain his job. He misrepresented the amount of damage, hoping our clients would simply rely on his expertise and fraudulent estimate as a true representation of the property’s damages.

Centauri Insurance Corporation’s fraud forced our clients to retain an attorney, just so they could get their roof repaired. On February 21, 2017, the Chad T. Wilson Law Firm filed suit, on behalf of our clients, against Centauri Insurance Corporation. The firm is suing for fraud, breach of contract, negligence, gross negligence, negligent hiring, and violations of the Texas Insurance Code and the Texas DTPA.

Houston Property Insurance Lawyers

If your homeowner insurance carrier has denied your insurance claim, we can help. The experienced property insurance attorneys at Chad T. Wilson Law Firm have represented more than 1,000 clients in cases against insurance companies and aggressively protect the rights of insurance policyholders. Our consultations are free, and you owe us nothing until we win your case. Contact us today to see how we can help.

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Nationwide Denies Harris County Couple Insurance After Storm

A Houston couple recently sued Nationwide after the insurance company conducted an improper inspection of our clients’ storm-damaged property. They grossly undervalued the cost of repairs and deliberately yielded an unrealistic amount to underpay coverage.

March 23, 2016 Storm

On March 23, 2016, a wind and hailstorm blew through Harris County, tearing through neighborhoods as it went. Our clients’ Houston home sustained extensive damage to the roof, exterior and interior. After the storm, they promptly submitted a claim to Nationwide, hoping the insurance company would help them repair their home.

Nationwide Lloyds Insurance Company Home Insurance Claim

Nationwide assigned one of its adjusters to inspect the property and adjust the claim. The adjuster knowingly conducted a subpar investigation, refusing full coverage. This left our clients without recovery necessary to make repairs to their home.

The third-party expert hired after the insurance company’s negligent inspection found a litany of damages that Nationwide’s adjuster conveniently left out or undervalued in his estimate.

The third party adjuster estimated the real damage to our clients’ home at $21,300.

Nationwide’s adjuster intentionally undervalued our clients’ claims in order to maintain his job. He misrepresented the amount of damage, hoping our clients would simply rely on his expertise and fraudulent estimate as a true representation of the property’s damages.

Nationwide’s fraud forced our clients to retain an attorney, just so they could get their roof repaired. On February 14, 2017, the Chad T. Wilson Law Firm filed suit, on behalf of our clients, against Nationwide Lloyds. The firm is suing for fraud, breach of contract and violations of the Texas Insurance Code and the Texas DTPA.

Houston Property Insurance Lawyers

If your homeowner insurance carrier has denied your insurance claim, we can help. The experienced property insurance attorneys at Chad T. Wilson Law Firm have represented more than 1,000 clients in cases against insurance companies and aggressively protect the rights of insurance policyholders. Our consultations are free, and you owe us nothing until we win your case. Contact us today to see how we can help.

How to Choose the Best Home Insurance for You

How to Choose the Best Home Insurance for You

Choosing a Home Insurance Policy

From young to old, first-time to veteran home buyer, an alarming number of people don’t know how to choose a home insurance policy. Should you get an ACV or a RCV policy? Do you need flood insurance? Why are the premiums so different?

Yes, insurance policies can be confusing. They’re filled with legalese and abbreviations, and maybe just skimming them gives you a headache. But, as a homeowner, you need to be able to make an informed decision.

Here. Let us break it down for you.

Do I need an ACV or an RCV policy?

Our clients often share that they chose their insurance policy because it had a low deductible. They never realized that low rate meant they were getting an ACV policy, which insures your home for its components’ Actual Cash Value. That means if your roof is rated to last 20 years, and it’s 10 years old, you’re only insured for what the roof costs today. In other words, if that new roof cost you $10,000 ten years ago, you’re only insured for $5,000. And if you have, say a $2,500 deductible, you only have $2,500 to fix your roof. If you have an ACV policy, you are more than likely throwing your premiums away. You’ll want to make sure you have an RCV, or Replacement Cost Value, policy. In the example above, an RCV policy would have made sure you got the full $10,000, minus the policy deductible, to replace your roof.

What are the different types of property insurance coverages?

With most insurance companies, there are included and optional coverages. Dwelling coverage, contents coverage, property damage and personal liability come standard in most homeowners insurance policies. But, they don’t cover everything.

Dwelling coverage protects your home’s structure, i.e. the floors, walls, ceilings, attached structures and built-in appliances. It can also cover you against fire, hail, theft and vandalism, and get you the money to rebuild your home if necessary, not exceeding your policy limit.

Contents coverage protects, you guessed it, the contents of your home. From clothes to furniture, you can receive payments for the value of your home’s contents if they’re damaged in a covered incident. For example, if you have flood insurance, this coverage could help you replace the items damaged by a flood. While this coverage is included in your policy, the amount of coverage is, ultimately, up to you. When choosing the amount, really think about how much it would cost to replace all of your furniture, entertainment system, wardrobe, etc. You certainly don’t want too little coverage, but you also don’t want to pay for more than you need.

Personal liability protects you and your guests. This aspect of your policy can cover the medical, and other, costs if a guest is injured in your home.

Property damage coverage helps pay for the damages to your property that result from a covered incident.

Optional Home Insurance Coverages

Though most standard policies include the above coverages, they don’t cover everything you might need. The below coverages are, more or less, a la carte options for your home insurance policy.

We would venture to guess that most homeowners in South Texas and Louisiana are already looking at flood insurance after recent years. If you’re not, you should be. The past several years in both Houston and Baton Rouge, and their surrounding areas, have proved that living in a no-flood zone means nothing to Mother Nature. Flood insurance, usually backed by the federal government, is a separate policy insurance companies offer, so it’s usually not included in your homeowner’s policy. Getting flood insurance is always a good idea, unless you live in the desert.

Replacement cost plus and ordinance/law insurance are both options that allow you to rebuild your home after a total loss. If you’ve owned your home for many years or are worried about depreciation, replacement cost coverage might be a good option for you. Ordinance/law insurance helps people with older homes rebuild their houses to fit current building codes.

There are a plethora of policy coverage options including earthquake, structures, medical payments, sewer water backup and more. Even if you don’t think you need a certain option, like earthquake coverage, do your research before making a decision. When choosing how to protect your home, it’s important to understand exactly what you need and to be well-informed. There are more earthquakes in Texas than you probably realize.

Remember, if you ever have specific questions about your policy options, your insurance agent works for you. They are always available as a resources for clarification, explanation or statistics.

Texas Property Insurance Lawyers

If your homeowner insurance carrier has denied your insurance claim, we can help. The experienced property insurance attorneys at Chad T. Wilson Law Firm have represented more than 1,000 clients in cases against insurance companies and aggressively protect the rights of insurance policyholders. Our consultations are free, and you owe us nothing until your case is won. Contact us today to see how we can help.

Thunderstorm with lightning bolts on the Thai island

Our client, a woman whose home was damaged in a severe storm, recently filed a lawsuit against Ark Royal Insurance Company and its adjuster. Ark Royal conducted a substandard and improper inspection of our client’s property. They grossly undervalued the cost of repairs and deliberately yielded an unrealistic amount to underpay for coverage.

August 1, 2016 Storm

On August 1, 2016, a wind and hailstorm blew through Harris County, tearing through neighborhoods as it went. Our client’s Cypress home sustained extensive damage to the exterior, as well as to the windows and air conditioning system. After the storm, she promptly submitted a claim to Ark, hoping her insurance company would help her repair her home.

Ark Royal Insurance Company Home Insurance Claim

Ark assigned one of its adjusters to inspect the property and adjust the claim. The adjuster knowingly conducted a subpar investigation, refusing coverage. This left our client with zero recovery necessary to make repairs to her home.

The third-party expert hired after the insurance company’s negligent inspection found a litany of damages that Ark’s adjuster conveniently left out or undervalued in his estimate.

The third party adjuster estimated the real damage to our client’s home at $35,500.

Ark’s adjuster intentionally undervalued our client’s claims in order to maintain his job. He misrepresented the amount of damage, hoping our client would simply rely on his expertise and fraudulent estimate as a true representation of the property’s damages.

Ark Royal Insurance Company’s fraud forced our client to retain an attorney, just so she could get her roof repaired. On January 30, 2017, the Chad T. Wilson Law Firm filed suit, on behalf of our client, against Liberty Insurance Corporation. The firm is suing for fraud, breach of contract and violations of the Texas Insurance Code and the Texas DTPA.

Houston Property Insurance Lawyers

If your homeowner insurance carrier has denied your insurance claim, we can help. The experienced property insurance attorneys at Chad T. Wilson Law Firm have represented more than 1,000 clients in cases against insurance companies and aggressively protect the rights of insurance policyholders. Our consultations are free, and you owe us nothing until we win your case. Contact us today to see how we can help.

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