In the winter of 2015, the strongest El Niño in 20 years caused severe severe storms and flooding in drought-stricken California. In the aftermath, many homeowners will likely see help because their insurance claims were unfairly denied, delayed, or under-compensated.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know had an insurance claim denied unfairly, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Bad Faith Insurance Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
What is El Niño?
El Niño is a weather phenomenon characterized by unusually weak trade winds and warm ocean temperatures in the Eastern Pacific. They occur approximately every 2-7 years and often cause severe wind and rain, destructive flooding, power outages, road closures, and high surf.
What is the problem?
After four years of drought and wildfires in California, lack of vegetation makes it difficult for water to be absorbed into the ground. This increases the risk of flooding, mudslides, flash floods, backed-up storm drains, and more. After the rains clear, structural damage and indoor mold growth may render a home uninhabitable.
El Niño Insurance Claim Denial
Since 1978, 37% of all flood insurance claims in California came from just two El Niño winters — one in 1982 and the other in 1997. If the trend continues, thousands of homeowners will be submitting insurance claims in 2016.
With so many claims piling up, you can be sure that some insurance companies will be unfairly denying claims, delaying payments, offering “low-ball” settlements, refusing to abide by the terms of their own policies, and inadequately processing or investigating claims.
These profit-driven tactics may come as a bit of a shock to the average homeowner who has paid thousands of dollars for insurance. The good news for homeowners is that these actions are illegal and you can seek justice by filing a “bad faith” insurance claim lawsuit.
Examples of El Niño Insurance Claims
- Homeowner is forced to live in a hotel because the roof has collapsed and his insurance company is delaying payment.
- Apartment landlord refuses to fix interior damage to a rental unit.
- Condominium association refuses to pay for damage to the exterior of the building.
- Tenants in a building whose business is disrupted because the landlord is delaying repairs.
- Loss of livestock or crops due to damage on other parts of a ranch or farm that insurance won’t cover.
- And more
FEMA Recommends Flood Insurance
Many people who live in “high-risk” areas for flooding are required to buy flood insurance as part of their mortgage loan. However, even “low-risk” areas can experience severe flooding in major storms. In October 2015, the Federal Emergency Management Agency urged Californians to buy flood insurance, even if they live in areas of low to moderate risk. Typically, there’s a 30-day waiting period from date of purchase before your policy goes into effect.
How to Prepare for El Niño
- Have your roof inspected by a licensed contractor and fix parts that might leak
- Caulk windows and doors
- Clean gutters and downspouts
- Remove dead or rotten trees from your yard
- Move valuables to 2nd story of your home
- Take video of your possessions and store the video outside the home
- Keep an emergency kit that contains flashlights/candles, battery-powered radio, bottled water, buckets, sandbags, roof patch, tarp, rope
Do I have an El Niño Insurance Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know had an insurance claim denied unfairly, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Bad Faith Insurance Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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