• Pre-Firm vs Post-Firm, Elevated or Non Elevated, or Gradfathered/non classifications heavily determine your claim payment. This refers to the last time major construction was made to the home. The key date is December 31, 1974. Whether you are before or after this date and your classification determines how much and what parts of the home are covered.

• Post Firm does not mean no coverage. Just less coverage for the first elevated floor.

• Detached garages are often stated as not covered but are covered up to 10% the Dwelling.

• During Hurricane Sandy many property owners were told the damages to their structure were not covered as they were pre-existing. This was proved to be wrong & should always be questioned. Rampant fraud was found in the methods flood carriers used to prevent proper payments to damaged properties

• Flood claims must have the full notarized full demand submitted in the first 60 days called a proof of loss. They need to be done right from the beginning. Sometimes during a catastrophic event they will extend the 60 day deadline. For Irma & Sandy it was extended.

• Flood supplements are very difficult. First they typically require any work they paid for performed. They dissect every invoice & require that contractors invoices be broken down room by room for every item (drywall, baseboard, paint, casing, flooring, subfloor, blinds, doors, outlets, insulation, crown, cabinets, etc...) into material cost, labor cost & amount of material per item. Once this is complete then any unfinished repairs must be estimated the same way. This is what our software Xactimate does. It is easier to hire us early then to ask your contractor to break his estimate up into 15-20 detailed pages when he was already paid and you are in a dispute with your insurance company.

• Matching of cabinets or other areas is not covered. Only damage up to the flood line.

• Mold & Mold remediation is NOT COVERED in a flood policy. Most water damage clean up costs are not either and CAN NOT be direct billed. You must have someone with Flood claim experience in this field and we can help.

• Often Insureds are told they can throw their contents away to get rid of the smell or mold. However, they often fail to advise insured to take pictures of all damaged items and serial numbers of all electronics over $100. Also, there are other requirements like room location, age, depreciation, and much more detail required to recover the highest possible amount.

If you have flood damage of any kind, Don’t think twice Call Trouble In Paradise Adjusters today at (888) 475-3700