Brad T. Wyly of the Wyly Law Firm, P.C., says a strong understanding of one's insurance policy will be important if an insurance company delays or denies a claim for storm-related property damage.
Houston, Texas (PRWEB) June 02, 2012
Texas and the Gulf Coast residents should review their insurance policies in preparation for the June 1 start of the Atlantic hurricane, said Houston first-party insurance claims lawyer Brad T. Wyly.
Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its prediction of nine to 15 tropical storms this year, with as many as four to eight of those storms becoming hurricanes, according to the Houston Chronicle.
"One storm, even a tropical storm, can mean ruin," said Wyly, owner of Wyly Law Firm, P.C., a Houston personal injury and first-party insurance claims law firm.
"Home and business owners need to be sure they understand what they have covered by their insurance policies," Wyly said.
Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. The peak period for hurricane activity is from August through October. An average season produces 11 named storms, six of which become hurricanes and two among them that become major hurricanes.
The 2012 season's first storm, Tropical Storm Alberto, formed off the coast of South Carolina May 19 and dissipated over the Atlantic a few days later without causing any harm.
The Wyly Law Firm represented many clients in the Harris County, Galveston and Beaumont areas after Hurricane Ike, one of the deadliest and costliest storms in U.S. history, after it hit the Texas coast in September 2008. Many claims took years to be settled.
"Anytime an insurance company pays a claim, that's money subtracted from their bottom line," Wyly said. "Insurance firms are not anxious to pay hurricane damage claims, regardless of what your policy says. They often try to pay less than the full value of the claim or reject it entirely if they can. They'll also try to make the collection process difficult and lengthy."
Wyly explained that flood insurance is purchased separately from a homeowner's policy, and that property owners without flood insurance will not be compensated for flood damage. Additionally, he said, a common bad-faith insurance practice is to label a variety of damage as "flood damage" and refuse payments.
The Houston attorney said the Wyly Law Firm reviews existing policies to help home and business owners better understand the policies they have and determine the extent that wind, water, mold, mud and other damages are covered.
The firm can also explain how to file a residential property claim or business property claim in Texas and what evidence should be gathered to demonstrate damages.
"We can help a property owner understand their insurance policy before a natural disaster strikes," Wyly said. "And if the insurance company is still reluctant to provide a proper settlement for a first-party claim, we're ready to help out then, too.
"Texas law has protections and remedies for the policyholder in insurance disputes, and we are ready to put that law to work for our clients."
About Wyly Law Firm, P.C.
The Wyly Law Firm, P.C., is a Houston injury and insurance law firm that represents homeowner's and businesses in disputes with their insurance companies. The firm also represents personal injury victims, including those injured in car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle or pedestrian accidents, throughout Houston and surrounding communities, including Harris County, Baytown, Pasadena, Galveston, Beaumont, Bellaire, Cloverleaf, Spring Valley, Missouri City, Aldine and Jersey City.
Attorney Brad T. Wyly, the firm's owner, is a skilled negotiator and lawyer. Wyly has extensive experience in personal injury cases, including claims involving complex accidents, catastrophic injuries and wrongful deaths. He has been named a Rising Star in Law & Politics magazine. To contact Wyly Law Firm, P.C., call (713) 574-7034 or use the firm's online form. The firm's office is located at 4101 Washington Ave., Houston, TX, 77007.
For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/prwebhouston-insurance-lawyer/hurricane-damage-claims/prweb9568910.htm
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