If a weather event damages your commercial property, you should be able to turn to your insurance company for financial compensation. Before filing a claim, you must know when commercial property insurance covers natural disasters—and when it does not. Examining and understanding your insurance coverage and fighting for appropriate compensation is where we come in.
Whether your insurance policy covers the damage of a natural disaster depends on the type of policy or policies you have. If you purchased commercial property insurance, Carrigan & Anderson, PLLC, will advocate for you when you make a claim against your insurance policy. Leave the hard work to us.
What Is a Natural Disaster?
The insurance claim lawyers at Carrigan & Anderson, PLLC, understand the confusion and stress that follow a natural disaster. When determining whether your commercial property insurance covers natural disasters, you first must define a natural disaster. More importantly, you need to know how your insurer defines it and what your policy says about it.
Multiple policies protect some commercial properties since certain natural disasters could require a separate policy from your main policy. Bring our commercial insurance team a copy of all policies that protect your property.
Potential Hurricane Damage
Strong hurricane winds and storms can be powerful enough to cause extensive and costly damage. Damage typically seen after a hurricane includes uprooted trees, far-flung debris, flooding, and damage to main buildings, outbuildings, and vehicles.
Potential Tornado Damage
Extreme tornado winds can cause catastrophic property damage from wind, rain, and hail. Its aftermath can include broken windows, relocated property, roof loss, and extensive water damage.
Potential Earthquake Damage
An earthquake can seriously damage more than your real property. It can also damage the surrounding grounds. Potential earthquake damage includes total building collapse, infrastructure damage, landslides, fire, and flooding.
Potential Flood Damage
Many commercial insurance policies will disclaim flood damage. They will even deny coverage if a flood is part of another natural disaster your policy covers. The rising waters of flood damage can cause real and personal property loss and destruction.
We have offices in Houston, Corpus Christi, and Victoria; and will travel to any corner of Texas if we are capable of preventing an injustice.
What Natural Disasters Will My Commercial Policy Cover?
Whether purchasing, renting, or leasing, commercial real estate is an investment for your business and its properties. Natural disasters like the colossal winter storm that battered Texas in February 2021 can cause huge financial losses. According to Forbes, this one resulted in more than 500,000 insurance claims and about $10.3 billion in damages.
When you safeguard your investment with insurance, you deserve to get coverage when you need it the most. According to Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) guidelines, your basic commercial policy will cover damage caused by fire or storm. Your policy may vary from other business owners, giving you options that include the following natural disasters:
- Basic coverage: Fire, windstorms, hail, lightning, explosions, sinkholes, and volcanoes
- Broad coverage: Basic coverage plus structural collapse, ice, sleet, or snow
- Special coverage: Basic and broad coverage plus all loss not specifically excluded
Flood damage is rarely included in any policy other than one specifically written as a flood policy. If more than one policy covers your business property, bring a copy of each one to our team member.
Our Commercial Insurance Lawyer Can Help if an Insurer Rejects Your Claim
Appealing a rejected insurance claim is challenging but in no way impossible. Our attorney will help prove the insurance company misjudged your application or acted in bad faith when it rejected your claim.
You do not have to accept a lowball offer or denied claim without a fight. Our legal team will handle every aspect of your appeal. We will concentrate on why the insurer denied your claim and add additional evidence to your case file proving you are entitled to fair and appropriate compensation.
What It Means to Have Our Law Firm Advocate for Your Business
Commercial insurance law is complex. When our law firm handles your case, we start by listening to you to understand the property damage and losses you have suffered. To build the strongest possible case for you, we will:
- Assess and document your property damage
- Scrutinize your insurance policy in detail
- Complete and submit insurance claim forms
- Compile evidence and respond to evidence requests
- Handle all case-related communications
- Keep you updated on developments
See Why Previous Clients Recommend Our Team at Carrigan & Anderson, PLLC
When clients we have represented talk about our legal services and support in their insurance battles, they leave online reviews like the following:
- Ricardo F.: Mr. David Anderson was very helpful after the hailstorm and Hurricane Harvey…I recommend Carrigan and Anderson to anybody needing help with their…insurance companies.
- Jack F.: They were extremely professional and were with me every step of the way giving great insight on how things will go and took time to explain and make sure I understood what was happening.
We bring more than 50 years of experience in insurance law to your case. Our attorney, David M. Anderson, helps policyholders fight back against insurance companies that delay or deny legitimate claims. We do not treat your case like a cookie-cutter insurance claim. Instead, we work hard to provide personalized attention and detail your claim needs and deserves.
Representing the injured in all areas of Texas that extends back over 40 years
Call Us Today for Help Getting Compensation From Your Insurer
If a natural disaster damaged your commercial property, our legal team will review your damages and examine your insurance policy. We will clarify the details of your policy and determine if your commercial property insurance covers natural disasters.
You do not have to take on the insurance company on your own. Get our results-driven law firm on your side right from the start by contacting our Carrigan & Anderson, PLLC, team today.
At Carrigan & Anderson, PLLC we can talk to you about your options and rights.
