In June of 2020, Kentucky experienced a series of floods over the course of two days following an extremely heavy rain event. With rain reaching over eight inches, a state of emergency was declared in eight major counties. Several surrounding bodies of water, including the Kentucky River, overflowed significantly, resulting in massive floods throughout the state. Many neighborhoods and homes endured damage due to the flood waters, resulting in multiple families being displaced and without a place to live. Businesses and other surrounding properties were deeply impacted as well.

Flood Insurance

According to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), just one inch of water inside a home can cost up to $25,000 in repairs. When serious floods strike, many are left with an overwhelming amount of damage to their homes that can be difficult to replace and return to normalcy.

Through the NFIP, flood insurance is available to individuals to protect them against flood damage costs after a flood damages or destroys their home. This is because most homeowners insurance policies do not cover damage resulting from flooding events – though some may cover water damage, these are typically specific water-related incidents that do not include floods.

Protecting yourself from damage to your home following a flood is one of the best ways to help rebuild your life and home after a severe storm. Water damage can take months – sometimes even years – to fix, and plenty of money as well. Insurance coverage can soften the blow of flood damage, allowing you to get back to your life easier.

When Claims Don’t Go as Planned

Following a flood event, the first thing you want to do after you’ve ensured you are safe is to file a claim with your insurance provider. Filing an accurate claim and maintaining communication with your provider is the best way to have your claim approved as soon as possible.

Once you’ve done everything you’re supposed to do in regards to filing a claim, it is now up to your insurance agency to do the rest. However, sometimes things don’t go as planned, as your claim may be denied or outright ignored.

Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon occurrence. Some insurance providers will not honor your claims and attempt to reduce the amount of money they need to pay out to people impacted by natural disasters. According to both the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act and the Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act, insurance companies are legally obligated to respond to customer claims and process them appropriately; otherwise they are considered bad faith claims.

If you are experiencing a bad faith claim with your insurance company, it is best to immediately contact an insurance lawyer. An insurance lawyer will understand the law expectations of insurance providers and help you advocate for appropriate claims processing so you can get your life back to normal. The law offices of Michael M. Raheb, P.A., have experienced Kentucky insurance lawyers available to support you in any legal proceedings following an unfair claims process. Their team of expert insurance attorneys have your best interest in mind to help you get the coverage you deserve.