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When a severe weather event caused extensive damage to our client’s roof, it also led to significant water intrusion throughout her home, affecting:
- Living Room – Water stains and ceiling damage
- Kitchen – Water-damaged cabinets and flooring
- Family Room – Soaked drywall and insulation
- Hallway – Warped flooring and water pooling
Like any responsible homeowner, she immediately contacted her insurance company, expecting them to step in and help her restore her home.
The Initial Insurance Offer: A Complete Insult
- The insurance company sent an adjuster to inspect the damage.
- Instead of offering a fair assessment, they wrote an estimate for just $876.17.
- Our client was left shocked and confused—how could she possibly restore her home with such a low payout?
She knew something wasn’t right, but she didn’t know what to do next.
Taking Action: How We Turned It Around
Frustrated and searching for answers, she found us online. After hearing her story, we knew she had been completely undervalued by her insurance company. Here’s how we fought back:
- We reopened her claim and demanded a proper reinspection.
- The insurance company refused to reinspect, hoping she would simply accept their lowball offer.
- We invoked the appraisal process, a powerful tool in her policy that allows for an independent review.
- We acted as both her public adjuster and her appraiser, ensuring she had strong representation.
The Power of the Appraisal Process
When an insurance company refuses to negotiate fairly, many policyholders don’t realize that they may have options built into their policy.
In this case, the appraisal process allowed us to:
- Challenge the insurance company’s low estimate with expert assessments.
- Force an independent, unbiased valuation of the damage.
- Bypass the insurance company’s refusal to reinspect.
This process ensured that our client’s damages were fully accounted for, rather than ignored by the insurance company’s initial assessment.
The Final Victory: A Life-Changing Settlement
After a hard-fought battle, we secured a massive win for our client:
- Final settlement: $54,330.11 (a 6,100.86% increase from the original offer!).
- Now she has the funds to properly restore her home—not just patch it up.
- She was no longer at the mercy of her insurance company’s unfair tactics.
Why This Case Matters
This case highlights a common tactic used by insurance companies:
- Undervaluing legitimate claims and hoping policyholders won’t fight back.
- Refusing to reinspect damage, even when the initial assessment is clearly inadequate
- Pressuring homeowners to accept lowball settlements instead of exercising their rights.
Had she accepted the $876.17 offer, she would have been left with a damaged home and no way to afford repairs.
