How did we get here? All homeowner’s insurance policies have a provision, which provides that any payments for damages to the dwelling must include the insured’s mortgage company as a payee on the check. The mortgage lender is included on the check to protect the lender to make sure the insured repairs the property (the [...]
Recently, Hurricane Ian rolled through and ravaged large swaths of Florida. Property owners, farmers, and industry leaders incurred catastrophic damage to their homes and businesses, costing billions of dollars in damages. Businesses and homeowners anticipate their insurers would settle their claims impartially and quickly. Sadly, that doesn't always happen. If a hurricane causes prolific [...]
Winter Storm Uri left millions of Texans without power, water, food, and emergency services for days. Some rural areas saw these outages for weeks. Not since Hurricane Harvey had there been a more costly natural disaster, with damages in the excess of $100 billion dollars state-wide. All 254 Texas counties experienced the freeze to [...]
It’s been almost two years since the Winter Freeze hit Texas and caused billions of dollars in property damage state-wide, but now the Winter Freeze lawsuit deadline is about to expire. If you are a victim of the Winter Freeze's storm damage, here is some crucial information for you: What Is The Deadline For [...]
I have handled bad faith insurance cases all of my 30 years as a trial lawyer, but predominantly started handling first-party property damage cases in 2005 after Hurricane Rita hit the Beaumont area. Since then, I have noticed certain claims handling trends are cyclical. They are popular…they die out…then they come back again as [...]
Policy limits put a cap on how much an insurer has to pay for an insurance claim. Policy limits determine the maximum amount an insurer has to pay and are set at the time the insurance policy is written. Some circumstances invalidate policy limits, such as the insurance company's actions when handling the claim. [...]
Paying a high premium on an insurance policy can be a burden most people are familiar with. At some point in everyone’s life, you will need insurance. Whether that’s to pilot a boat, drive a car, or own a home, insurance is meant to financially compensate the policyholder if their property is lost, damaged, [...]
The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana and the 14th Judicial District Court for the Parish of Calcasieu have adopted a Case Management Order (CMO) that allowed for a streamlined litigation process for insurance claims that arise due to property damage resulting from Hurricanes Laura and/or Delta. The CMO helps produce [...]
Recently proposed property exclusions have created intense debates among agents, adjusters, insurers and insureds. As chaotic weather conditions across the country continue to rise, these exclusions claim to focus on the type of roof damage in an effort to circumvent coverage. Essentially, what the insurer deems as “cosmetic damage” is excluded from coverage when/if [...]
When you see a doctor, you expect that they will take their time to do their job and understand the need for your visit. When investing money in a business opportunity, you would want to review all available information to make the best decision for your money. The same may be said when taking [...]
