What to Do If My Homeowners Insurance Claim Is Denied

A Texas insurance lawyer can tell you what to do if your homeowner’s insurance claim is denied. They can work with you to:

• Review what your policy covers
• Determine possible reasons for the denial
• Negotiate with the insurance company to get the money you need after an accident or natural disaster

What Insurance Policy You Have Matters

According to the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), you can purchase several kinds of homeowners insurance. This includes coverage for:

• Your house
• Other structures on your property
• Personal property located inside your house, such as furniture, appliances, and electronics
• Your living expenses should you have to temporarily relocate while your house is being repaired or refurbished after an adverse event
• Personal injuries if something you do (or do not do) injures another person

Before you file a claim, you will want to know what your policy covers and under what circumstances the policy will pay out. If you have already received a denial notice, reviewing your policy could reveal why.

While you can ask your insurance agent about your policy, you could get a second opinion from an insurance lawyer. Understanding your policy’s terms can save you time and trouble.

Common Reasons for Insurance Claim Denial

In some cases, a denial may result from a misunderstanding. For example:

• All or part of your claim’s paperwork got lost in the mail or misplaced by an insurance company employee.
• You did not send enough evidence for the insurer to evaluate your claim.
• You used the wrong form or did not answer one of the insurer’s questions how they expect you to.
• Your insurance policy does not cover the type of incident or damage you are seeking money for.

Once identified, these mistakes can usually be corrected without too much trouble.

Unfortunately, not all denials have such an innocent cause. In all too many cases, the insurance company will deliberately deny or delay a valid, properly filed claim by:

• Claiming the damage already existed or that something caused it that your policy does not cover
• Stating that the damage is not as serious as you say it is, so it will pay you much less than your losses’ worth
• Making unreasonable requests, such as asking you to give a recorded statement about the incident and the damage it caused
• Taking longer than necessary to respond to your claim

How can you tell if an insurer denied your claim for legitimate reasons? You can hire an insurance attorney. If the error is basic, they can correct your application. If your case is more complex, they can tell you what to do if your homeowner’s insurance claim is denied.

Protect Yourself Against Insurance Claim Denials

Despite what they may say, insurance companies are not in the business of helping people. They are in the business of making money. If they can improve their bottom line by being stingy and denying payouts to deserving policyholders, they will do so.

A property insurance attorney can protect you from an insurer’s unscrupulous tactics, so hiring one as early as possible is best. Your legal representative can then:

• Talk to you about the TDI’s Consumer’s Bill of Rights, which generally informs policyholders of their rights and what they can and cannot do regarding their policy (and what insurers can and cannot do to policyholders).
• Examine the damage to your home and the claim you made to the insurance company.
• Collect evidence regarding your claim, such as before-and-after photos or repair bills from professionals, such as plumbers.
• Contact the insurance company to learn more about why it delayed or denied your claim. 
• Handle all correspondence with the insurer, acting as a “barrier” or “shield” so the insurer cannot directly access you or try to manipulate you into giving away your right to compensation.
• Submit additional materials the insurance company wants to see.
• Meet in person with the insurer’s representatives to discuss the evidence and negotiate for the money you need to rebuild.

Many insurance companies try to take advantage of policyholders because they know people generally have little experience with insurance law. Once they know you have an insurance lawyer on your side, they may start to cooperate.

When to Hire a Homeowners Insurance Attorney

If possible, you can hire a lawyer before you file a claim. They can review your claim to ensure it is in good order before you file and provide the insurer with everything they need to make a fair assessment. This way, you may be less likely to get a denial—or, if you receive a denial, you will have a lawyer ready to help you.

That said, you certainly can—and should—consult an attorney even after you have started your claim. Your representative will do everything they can to ensure your case goes smoothly, no matter when you hire them.

Many law firms offer free case reviews to potential clients like you. This enables you to:

• Explain your situation to someone who knows about insurance claim cases
• Find out over the phone if the firm can help you
• Get a legal consultation without spending anything or taking on any obligation

After an event like a hurricane or a burst pipe, you should not have to deal with uncooperative, greedy insurance companies on top of everything else. The sooner you hire an insurance attorney, the sooner they can take your legal burden off your shoulders and start fighting for the money your family needs.

Was Your Homeowners Insurance Claim Denied?

Call Carrigan & Anderson, PLLC, at any time, day or night, to learn more about your case and what to do if your homeowner’s insurance claim is denied. 

An insurance company should not get away with paying a penny less than you deserve—and we have the experience and the determination to fight them.