(WSVN) - Irma is gone and if you suffered damage, now comes a tricky headache: what does your insurance cover, how can you get them to pay and what you are owed? A lot of questions and all day we have been bringing in Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser for the answers. Here they are again.
Irma was a disaster for the Keys. A major headache for Dade and Broward — and now with the clean up comes questions that you might have. Here are some answers for you…
You have damage and you have insurance … legally, what can you do to protect yourself?
Howard Finkelstein: “The first thing you do is call your insurance agent or company, and that number is usually on your policy. The other thing is document everything that you can. Take pictures and videos, lots of pictures of what was damaged.”
What happens if you can’t find your policy?
Howard Finkelstein: “If you can’t find your policy, contact the company. They will have a copy of the policy.”
You are a renter and have damage, but no renter’s insurance — does your landlord’s policy cover you?
Howard Finkelstein: “Simply put, no. Without renter’s insurance, nothing covers you.”
As a renter, your damage occurred because your landlord did not put up shutters. Does that make the landlord responsible for that damage?
Howard Finkelstein: “It’s complicated, but if it’s in your lease that your landlord must put shutters, then they must and if they don’t, they have to pay for the damage. If it’s not in the lease, odds are the landlord will not pay for it.”
You have flooding in your home and don’t have flood insurance. Does windstorm or homeowner’s cover that?
Howard Finkelstein: “If you don’t have flood insurance and you are flooded, you are out of luck.”
For hurricane damage to your house, what policy do you file under? Homeowner’s or windstorm?
Howard Finkelstein: “You file under windstorm and if you have a mortgage, odds are you have that type of coverage. Find that policy and contact your insurance company.”
If you have questions, we have more answers at wsvn.com under this Help Me Howard story.
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CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
Email: helpmehoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
Miami-Dade: 305-953-WSVN
Broward: 954-761-WSVN
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