Hurricane Wreaks Havoc on Cape Coral, Florida Causing Long Wait Times for Property Insurance Payouts and Repairs

How Does a Natural Disaster Affect Property Insurance Wait Times?

Florida is known for its extreme weather. It usually comes in the form of hurricanes with heavy rain and high winds that devastate properties throughout the state. Early this year, however, one area of Florida was hit with another type of extreme weather, a , and it did just as much damage as a hurricane.

On January 9, 2015, an area of Cape Coral, Florida was hit with an EF2 tornado. With winds of approximately 135 miles per hour did a large amount of damage to the hundreds of properties it swept through. One of the residents of the affected area, Brian Eberz, suffered damage to the interior and exterior of his home and also to structures in his yard. He was lucky– an insurance adjuster came to evaluate his claim two days after the event and he was issued a check some days later. The only problem now is that he cannot get a contractor to do the work that is needed. The market is flooded with demand and there are not enough contractors to go around, so his home is still in a state of disrepair.

It could be worse though. Some residents haven’t even been able to collect on their property insurance claims yet. Filing a property insurance claim is a process and can take some time. But, with the widespread damage in one concentrated area, the process becomes even more painstaking. Wait times for adjusters and payouts can increase greatly.

If your home has been damaged by extreme weather, you need to know and understand what your property insurance covers. It is also imperative to file a claim as soon as possible so you have a better chance at beating the crowd for an inspection and eventual payout. Hiring an experienced Tampa property insurance attorney will make the process much easier for you.