Because the clock ticks down, I’ve been receiving a surge of calls and emails from involved public adjusters relating to the approaching deadline for submitting Nationwide Flood Proofs of Loss. FEMA prolonged the deadline for one year from the date of Hurricane Ian. It’s essential to not miss the deadline to ship, not simply mail, the complete and proper proof of loss is that this week. You solely have a few days to get this appropriate.  

The Significance of Double-Checking Your Work

I can not stress sufficient the significance of meticulously reviewing your submissions. A single oversight or error may jeopardize your consumer’s declare, resulting in denials merely as a result of a well timed proof of loss was not accomplished and delivered correctly. Due to this fact, it’s crucial to verify after which re-check to make sure that you’ve gotten precisely and comprehensively filed the proof of loss.

Don’t Miss the Deadline

Bear in mind, the prolonged deadline could have been an invite to procrastinate or assume you’ve gotten correctly accomplished the proofs of loss; it’s a possibility to refine your work and guarantee its accuracy. Lacking this deadline may have extreme repercussions to your purchasers and will mirror poorly in your skilled popularity. The three greatest errors will not be utilizing the permitted type, assuming any type is appropriate, not delivering the proper type on time to the precise place, and never together with all of the backup for the quantities claimed with the proof of loss.    

Act Now

So, as we method this significant deadline, I urge you to revisit your information, double-check your documentation, and make sure that all the pieces is so as. Your purchasers are counting on you to safeguard their pursuits. That is one space the place there isn’t any room for error.

Here’s a guidelines I counsel is a minimal to be adopted:   

1. Did you utilize the licensed type? Many public adjusters and policyholders are utilizing their very own kinds quite than the one and solely licensed type from FEMA. Use solely the present FEMA type.
2. Did you enclose with the proof of loss all of the documentation? It should be submitted with the shape and never individually. A federal flood proof of loss is the licensed type.
3. Did you ship it to the precise place? Sending it to the sector adjuster with the impartial disaster claims group just isn’t the precise place. The coverage lists the Write Your Personal Service and the handle the place it should be despatched. A replica of that, with all of the documentation, also needs to be despatched to the sector adjuster. Ship it in a single day with a request for proof of supply – licensed mail can take perpetually, get misplaced, and never delivered on time. In a single day United States mail to each the insurer and the sector adjuster, with each getting all of the documentation, is a lot better.
4. Is the documentation full? Estimates, images of harm, movies of harm, lists of the contents at RCV and ACV, invoices for actual property harm repaired and contents changed, and every other gadgets you need to have as a part of your proof of harm, and quantities owed ought to be included. However circumstances have been misplaced as a result of there was not an estimate of harm and supporting documentation despatched with the proof of loss type.
5. Did you full the proof of loss in its entirety? You can not put, “to be decided.” Many public adjusters and policyholders incorrectly submit it this manner as a follow. This could lose your flood case as nicely. Put greenback figures for every area on the shape.
6. Is it signed by the policyholder? It should be signed and never left clean. I’ve watched many public adjusters take a look at their file after telling me a proof was filed to search out that the proof was not signed and that they’d mailed all the pieces to the claims adjuster early, hoping to get the case resolved. They later discover that they by no means went again and formally filed a proof with it signed and with all of the backup documentation.

Right here’s yet another factor so as to add to your guidelines: Join our upcoming Hurricane Ian Seminars for Public Adjusters! Subjects will embody statutory deadlines and roof harm. Earn 2 CE credit and meet with Merlin Regulation Group attorneys for claims questions and session. Click on right here to register: https://web page.merlinlawgroup.com/hurricane-ian-seminars. Particulars under:

Fort Myers | Thursday 9/28

Hilton Backyard Inn Ft. Myers Airport/FGCU

16410 Company Commerce Method

Fort Myers, FL 33913

Miami | Monday 10/2

Hilton Aventura Miami

2885 NE 191st St.

Aventura, FL 33180

Jacksonville | Wednesday 10/4

World Golf Village Renaissance St. Augustine

500 South Legacy Path

St. Augustine, FL 32092

Tampa | Thursday 10/5

The Westin Tampa Waterside

725 S Harbour Island Blvd

Tampa, FL 33602

Night Thought About Nationwide Flood Proofs of Loss

Belief, however confirm.

—Ronald Reagan