Hurricane Damage Public Adjusters in West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach City in Southeastern Florida is situated along the western shore of Lake Worth. Because of this location, experts say that a hurricane of a Category 3 or greater with winds estimated to be at 111 miles per hour is expected to visit the city once in every ten years. In 1992, Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 Monster and was considered as the costliest hurricane of the 20th century, hit Southeast Florida including West Palm Beach. This left devastating damages of more than 25 billion dollars. Recently, three major hurricanes came within miles of West Palm Beach including Hurricane Mathew in 2016, Hurricane Irma in 2017 and Hurricane Dorian in 2019. All of them luckily missed the city. If by chance however, that a hurricane as strong as Hurricane Andrew will hit Florida again, nearly three million homes are at risk from storm surge with an approximate of 784,000 homes located in the states’ southeastern part. Reconstruction of houses in the West Palm Beach alone is estimated to be around 143 billion dollars.
Hurricane Hazards in Coastal Areas
Living in coastal areas is a dream for many people. After all, who would say no to the vibrancy and diversity of colors that the sunrise or the sunset offers? Add these up to the natural ventilation brought by the moving waters to the land, and one might think that it could be the life he or she has always wanted. Living in coastal areas however, also brings hurricane hazards such as storm surges, powerful winds and heavy rains. When a hurricane pushes a huge amount of water onto shore, it causes ocean water to pile up abnormally, making it tremendously dangerous once it hits the land. This can cause land erosion and the destruction of houses, buildings and other properties in the area. If it fortunately survives being washed out by the surge, salt water has already corroded the structure’s outlets and switches, demanding for replacements. Wirings must also be inspected and approved by a building inspector before they can be of use again. Powerful winds are also hurricane related hazards. A category 1 hurricane is said to have a 74 mph wind speed which can already rip some house roof off, while a Category 5 hurricane has a wind speed that ranges from 157 mph above can destroy framed houses, collapse walls and completely rip off roofs. Hurricanes also typically produce 6 to 12 inches widespread rainfall which can cause severe flooding. Heavy floods can cause serious damage on a house or building’s foundation. When a structure’s foundation is damaged, owners will see signs like doors and windows that aren’t opening properly as frames have become distorted. Homes and other properties that were struck by a hurricane are also likely to be damaged beyond repair, and this is the painful decision that property owners need to think of just right after the catastrophic event. Once an owner decides whether to repair the damaged property or not, dealing with hurricane insurances isn’t just a quick and easy process. Despite the presence of actual damages, receiving a fair settlement would still require proper knowledge and extensive assessment of those concerned.
Factors To Be Considered Before Filing a Hurricane Damage Claim
There are a lot of factors to be considered before filing a claim to hurricane insurance companies. There are damages that might not be covered depending on their causes. For example, water damage from rain coming through a leaking roof might probably be covered by the hurricane insurance, but not the damages from flooding even if it was caused by a storm surge as these might be covered under a separate flood policy. These are just some of the technicalities that property owners must consider before filing their hurricane insurance claims. Hiring a West Palm Beach Hurricane Damage Public Adjuster like ProFloridian can help minimize these troubles as a good adjuster can help in evaluating property damages, filing claims to insurances and negotiating the right settlement amount that policyholders like you deserve.
Contact ProFloridian Public Adjusters either by phone at (954) 588-7416 or use our form for more information!
