Well, it’s official, on June 1st, 2013, The Hurricane Season will begin for all residents in the Gulf of Mexico. Here are the names given by The National Hurricane Center :
Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dorian, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto, Ingrid, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo, Melissa, Nestor, Olga, Pablo, Rebekah, Sebastien, Tanya, Van and Wendy.
This means a few things to many of my clients and others in Southeast Louisiana. Here is what you need to start doing to be prepared:
- Call your insurance company and verify you have enough coverage on your property. Make sure you have at least $150,000.00 for a 2000 square foot home, and increase as you go. That would be included in Coverage A or your property damage. You should also allocate some coverage for contents, probably about $50,000.00 if you have lots of nice things;
- If your insurance is too expensive, shop around for new rates. Contrary to popular belief, there are insurers out there who are writing standard homeowners policies with wind and hail coverage. I have one myself. This especially applies if you are dropped from your current insurance company.
- To avoid the panic that sets in when a Hurricane forms in the Gulf of Mexico, go around your home on the interior and exterior and take lots of pictures and videos. You need to be able to prove that the damage from any Hurricane caused your property damages, mold damages, water intrusion, or anything else. Many times, insurance adjusters will try and say that you had “pre-existing” damages on your home which stops your insurance coverage. I fight this for my hurricane attorney clients all the time.
- If you had damage from Hurricane Isaac last year, the deadline for me to file a lawsuit for you will be August 29, 2013. So, that’s only three months away. Please call me immediately to get your free consultation.
Those are the basics for you. If you are still fighting with your homeowner’s insurance company relating to damages sustained during Hurricane Isaac, you should call me right away. There is a hurricane deadline to file claims and lawsuits. We are helping many people recover what they rightfully should against their insurance companies.
-Lawyer LaHatte
504-599-8666
jlahatte@glagolawfirm.com