In 2011, Pennsylvania was hit with Tropical Storm Lee, which caused massive destruction in many areas of the state. The storm brought lots of flooding to various communities, causing thousands to evacuate their homes in search of shelter. While the storm was raging on, high winds and plenty of rainfall caused damage to and even destroyed hundreds of homes. Much of the wildlife and farms in surrounding areas were permanently damaged as well, making it difficult to rebuild after the storm had passed.

What Does Pennsylvania Insurance Cover

Homeowners insurance protects policyholders for various damages to their home, but oftentimes, it does not cover flood damage outright. To get insured for potential flood damage on your home, homeowners need to take out a separate policy from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

The NFIP is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides flood coverage to homeowners and renters to help cover flood damage should a tropical storm or hurricane occur. This coverage from the NFIP is available to anyone living in any participating communities, often found in areas that are more susceptible to flooding and have experienced significant flood damage in the past. Some areas that partner with the NFIP are required to have flood insurance coverage, causing homeowners and renters alike to be obligated to get this insurance coverage.

Bad Faith Insurance Claims for Flooding

While insurance may be mandated by the government to cover flood insurance, this does not mean claims are always handled equally.

After maintaining on time payments to your insurance provider in full, you expect your insurance agency to respond to any claims you submit efficiently and completely. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. There are instances where bad faith insurance claims may take place following a flood insurance claim submission.

Insurance providers are required to respond to claims without a certain period of time, and give fair notification in the event they need more time to make a decision on a claim. Additionally, providers are required to give reasonable details for why a claim may be denied, and pay out claims in an outlined amount of time.

If you experience difficulties with the processing of your claim, or communication with your insurance provider, consider contacting an insurance lawyer to help. Insurance attorneys can assist you in determining if you have a legal case against these insurance providers, and how to proceed if so. The law offices of Michael M. Raheb, P.A., have expert Pennsylvania insurance lawyers available to help you gather the necessary evidence and information to proceed with a legal case following bad faith insurance claims. Their team of experienced insurance lawyers can support you through this stressful time to represent you and advocate on your behalf.