The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have devised a new method of simulating storms using AI in an effort to create more adaptable and stronger buildings.  A recent study asserts that the simulations can accurately represent the trajectory and wind speeds of a collection of actual storms. The authors suggest that simulating numerous realistic hurricanes with the new approach can lead to improved guidelines for the design of buildings in hurricane-prone regions.

Scientists using real-life storm data with AI to improve building designs is groundbreaking.  Engineers and forecasters are increasingly reliant on the work that computers can do to streamline their efficiency.  The use of AI is most noteworthy in computer modeling for Florida in hurricane-prone areas.  Determining the level of wind that a building should be designed to withstand can be accomplished using AI.  Rather than attempting to mathematically build a storm from the ground up using bare data points, as current models do, machine-learning algorithms mimic actual hurricane data.  

With enough quality information to study, machine-learning algorithms can construct models based on patterns they uncover within datasets that other methods miss.  Those models can then simulate specific behaviors, such as the wind strength and movement of a hurricane.  Thereafter, developers, builders, and engineers can find the level of wind their proposed structure must handle based on its location and relative importance.

The sophistication of AI has dramatically improved and it continues to improve, and that’s critical to designing sounder, more durable structures.  Wind-resistant design can include things like concrete, steel frames, and impact-resistant glass.  Florida structures must be built stronger to withstand wind and water damage as evidenced by the tragic Surfside condo collapse.  

The property insurance market is going up in flames.  State Farm is the largest property insurance company in the nation. The climate crisis is becoming a financial crisis, especially for Californians and Floridians.  Numerous studies show climate change increases the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, including widespread wildfires and storms that reach major hurricane status of Category 3 or above.  Over the past five years, wildfires have destroyed 25,000 homes in the state; in 2018, the most devastating year on record, Californians filed $11.7 billion in wildfire-related claims. 

State Farm’s decision in California is the latest development in what has been a growing trend in the property insurance industry nationwide, namely, insurance companies dropping homeowners.  Major insurers are backing out of new home policies in California.  Citing rising costs from raging wildfires and skyrocketing repairs, both State Farm and Allstate insurance companies say they are no longer offering home or business property insurance for new customers in California.   

You’re in good hands with Allstate?  Maybe not.  Allstate quietly stopped issuing new policies in California months ago, but didn’t announce the move until last week.  Allstate joined State Farm in deciding to halt sales of property and casualty coverage to new customers in California, saying it’s too pricey to underwrite policies in the state because of natural disasters.  Allstate was the fourth-largest insurer in California, according to the most recent 2021 state data. It earned $4.3 billion in premiums that year and incurred $2.6 billion in losses. 

In Florida, the state continues to investigate insurance companies underpaying policyholders and doctoring reports.  Dozens of property insurance companies in Florida have either entered receivership in the last few years, meaning they don’t have enough funding to pay out claims, or pulled out of Florida altogether and stopped insuring Florida homes. 

What happened in Florida was a harbinger for the rest of the U.S. Florida was a trailblazer, waiting too long to regulate an insurance industry in which companies cut back on homeowner policies and engaged in fraudulent, bad faith practices.  From coast-to-coast, insurance companies plundered profits and shortchanged policyholders.  The homeowner’s insurance crisis in Florida is a regulatory failure.  Had the market been properly regulated by the government and lawmakers, bad faith practices would have been halted.

As the hurricane season starts, the shaky property insurance market continues to plague Florida homeowners.  This is why anytime you experience property damage to your home or business, you should speak with an experienced and knowledgeable property damage trial lawyer.  At Corless Law Group, we make sure the insurance company does not take advantage of your predicament and offer a low settlement or delay and then deny the claim.  

These climate change crises can be curbed and the collapsing home insurance markets can be saved.  The insurance industry must be regulated, and government oversight will contribute to more fairness for all. 

The insurance industry in Florida is poised for punishment – be it civil or criminal – as a result of the improper handling of countless Hurricane Ian claims.  Ian caused $115 billion in damage, the second-largest insured loss on record after Hurricane Katrina, according to a report from reinsurer Swiss Re.  Hurricane Ian had the most insurance claims of any hurricane in American History.  What’s more, 4,700 complaints (and counting) have been filed against insurers post-Hurricane Ian.  

What precipitated these complaints?  Some policyholders had their valid property damage claims cut by more than 80%, according to a blistering report by The Washington Post.  These homeowners say that they had received only a small portion of what was covered under their policy.  Other property owners reported seeing altered and manipulated estimates.  In the report, it was uncovered that desk adjusters or supervisors were gutting or rejecting reports of what they saw was credible damage.  There are allegations insurance companies falsely updated claims to reduce payments. 

All of this follows the decision by Governor Ron DeSantis to take away the right of policyholders to recover their attorney’s fees when they are forced to litigate their claims.  This is the case even in claims where the insurance company deliberately withheld benefits, and loses at trial. Florida lawmakers most notably repealed the one-way attorney’s fee provision that has long governed property insurance lawsuits within the state. This provision gave insureds the necessary leverage to fairly engage in disputes with their insurers.

Previously, the insurance company would be held responsible for paying attorney fees if the company wrongfully denied your claim. Under this new law, insurers will no longer be ordered to pay attorney fees even if they improperly denied the claim.

You Need a Property Damage Lawyer to Fight for Your Rights to Coverage

At Corless Law Group we relentlessly fight for the rights of property owners and successfully resolve storm damage insurance claims.  Increased scrutiny and oversight of insurance companies who engage in these duplicitous practices, which harm insurance consumers, is the right path forward.  Insurers who don’t properly handle policyholders’ claims should be slapped with civil or criminal penalties. 

An insurer slashing a valid claim estimate without a factual basis is potential fraud.  Denying, delaying or underpaying a valid claim is bad faith and if the insurance company engaged in this type of prohibited behavior on a consistent basis, it may be grounds for punitive damages and monetary fines.  Additionally, criminal charges could be filed against insurance companies’ officials.

Insurance companies are to blame for the property insurance crisis in Florida due to their failure to expeditiously pay valid claims.  The American Policyholder Association, a nonprofit insurance industry watchdog group, said in a statement that it has found “compelling evidence of what appears to be multiple instances of systematic criminal fraud perpetrated to cheat policyholders out of fair insurance claims.”

It is inappropriate and untenable for Florida lawmakers to continue to protect the insurance industry.  In 2022, Florida Republicans passed laws that insulate property insurers at the expense of homeowners.  If you give insurance companies enough rope, will they hang themselves?  That seems to be the case here as numerous complaints allege that insurance companies or their adjusters doctored claims to underpay property owners who experienced hurricane-related damage. 

Can Insurers Be Held Accountable? 

A bill (SPB 7052) titled “Insurer Accountability” is intended to impose penalties on any insurance companies committing fraud.  It would also prohibit altering insurance adjuster reports.  The bill aims to crack down on fraud and comes with large fine amounts to insurers. 

Accountability is a nice word but does it have teeth?  This bill would increase information-reporting requirements and increase maximum fines for violations by 250% generally and 500% for violations during state emergencies.  Insurance and adjuster licenses can also be suspended or revoked.

For policyholders who experience property damage or property loss stemming from a storm, the nationally recognized litigation law firm of Corless Law Group can assist you in achieving full and fair compensation.  Our clients include individual property owners, business owners, Community Managed Associations, Homeowners Associations, and Licensed Community Association Managers.  We represent residential and commercial property owners throughout the state of Florida.  

It is important to consider how a law firm has handled other cases that are similarly situated to yours, and the type of results their lawyers can deliver.  Corless Law Group has the experience, knowledge, and record-setting results you need to repair or replace damage to your home, business or property.  Call 813-258-4998 for a free consultation.   

Global warming is increasing the intensity and frequency of storms, and it’s capable of shifting wind patterns, which will further increase hurricane risk, steering hurricanes closer to the Gulf Coast and East Coast.  Climate change is creating stronger hurricanes that contain more moisture and rapidly intensify.  It only takes one storm for any region to have a record-breaking hurricane season. 

For example, Hurricane Ian left a path of destruction, from Naples and Fort Myers to Orlando and Daytona, leaving tens of thousands of residents with homes that are uninhabitable.  According to a NOAA report, the storm ranked as the costliest disaster in the U.S. for 2022 and racked up a total cost of $112.9 billion in damages.  Many insureds who were affected called Corless Law Group to receive adequate compensation.  We still have property owners reach out about Hurricane Ian claims and will continue to fight for their rights to coverage.

We work with numerous stakeholders, including engineers and claims adjusters, on Hurricane Ian cases.  We guide our clients through every step of the claims process.  You should be aware of your rights under your insurance policy because many policyholders who file claims may find that the compensation the insurance company proposes is less than adequate to cover replacement or repair costs.  

Victims of storms should consider seeking assistance from an experienced and knowledgeable property damage attorney.  Corless Law Group has successfully handled thousands of property damage cases involving hurricanes and severe storms.

Preparing for a hurricane or tropical storm before the season begins will ensure you have plenty of time to gather supplies and stock up on other resources while reviewing the details of your insurance policy.  If your home or business suffers damage, you will want to hire a seasoned Florida hurricane insurance claims attorney for assistance in recovering all of the money you are owed under your policy.

If you are a homeowner, business owner, Community Managed Association, or serve on the Board of your Homeowner’s Association, a property damage attorney can help you receive full and fair compensation in an insurance dispute.  We are your top storm damage attorneys serving insureds throughout the Sunshine State. 

Property owners may face resistance from insurance companies who are determined to deny or delay valid claims as well as minimize payments.  We have secured record-setting verdicts and settlements for Florida insureds who experienced property damage due to a hurricane or severe storm. 

Corless Law Group has a well-deserved reputation as dedicated advocates for policyholders. We offer free consultations and the sooner you contact our office, the sooner we can get started on your property damage claim.  Call us today at 813-258-4998. 

Corless Law Group is the most powerful name in Large Loss property damage claims.  We provide legal solutions to large, complex losses which usually involve either multi-unit dwellings or massive, interconnected commercial spaces with several floors and buildings. These Large Losses tend to have compensation in the multi-million dollar range. 

For example, we secured a historic $12.7 million verdict against Citizens Property Insurance for sinkhole damage in Pinellas County on behalf of a condo association.  Built in the 1980s, Cloverplace is a duplex community in which 120 buildings (240 units) are home to about 500 people, including young families and retirees.  The figure of $12.7 million was the estimated amount it would take to stabilize 83 of the damaged units in Cloverplace.

Recognized as leaders in the field of property damage claims and high-stakes insurance disputes, Corless Law Group is a trial law firm committed to helping policyholders throughout Florida.  We are the go-to law firm representing large properties and Large Losses.  We utilize an aggressive, tenacious approach to help clients receive the compensation they deserve for various types of real estate damage and property loss. 

We represent owners of commercial and residential property, and we have a unique depth of resources and experience filing and litigating Large Loss claims.  Our legal services help insured’s address issues associated with Large Losses, including hurricane and storm claims, wind and tornado damage, fire damage, roof damage, water and mold damage, and sinkholes. 

If your commercial or residential property damage claim has been delayed, denied or underpaid, contact us at 813-258-4998 for a free, no-obligation consultation .  Our Large Loss law firm has helped individual homeowners, HOAs, Boards of Directors, and business owners secure more than $500 million in insurance coverage after property damage. Find out how our firsthand knowledge of Large Loss claims can significantly benefit you. 

Our goal at Corless Law Group is to help property owners recover as quickly and as fully as possible after a storm strikes. If you have residential or commercial property damage after Hurricane Ian, allow us to get you the compensation you deserve from your insurance company.  Hurricane Ian has left catastrophic property damage across the Sunshine State, from Punta Gorda and Sarasota to Tampa, Orlando, and Daytona.  Homeowners and business owners who have sustained property damage should not have to struggle to get the money they deserve from their insurance policy. Corless Law Group insurance claims attorneys are fierce advocates for policyholders who have experienced storm damage to their property.  We have successfully represented thousands of homeowners and business owners in the State of Florida for the past 25 years. 

Remember to take photos or videos of the damage to your property.  Make a list of all the damaged items, including their make, model, and serial number.  Additionally, get your property inspected by a licensed professional because the effects of a hurricane may be subtle and sometimes they can only be uncovered by a professional. 

All homes and businesses should be carefully inspected for damage to roofs, siding, fences, and other structural elements.  Common types of property damage associated with hurricanes include:

• Flood/water damage
• Toxic mold
• Tornadoes/wind damage
• Flying debris-related damage
• Smoke/fire damage
• Temporary relocation expenses 
• Broken windows and doors
• Cleanup expenses 

If Hurricane Ian damages your property, let our experienced team of lawyers and engineers get you the legal protection you deserve and the maximum compensation possible.  We will carefully review your insurance policy and inspection reports as well as assess your property damage claims.  With over $500 million in jury verdicts and negotiated settlements, we have experience dealing with Large Loss, complex insurance claims.  

Contact us as soon as you can at 813-258-4998.  Our Tampa-based law firm counsels and represents insureds throughout Florida.  We will not allow insurance companies to undervalue, delay or deny valid property damage claims.  We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you in a crisis.    

With over 25 years of legal experience, Corless Law Group has assisted thousands of policyholders with their insurance claims and have maximized insured’s policy recoveries.  As a leading property damage claims law firm serving Florida policyholders, we have the knowledge and passion to get you results.  We know Florida property insurance laws, are well-versed in the interpretation of insurance policy language and offer extensive experience with property insurance litigation.  

Having a law firm with outstanding service, representation and results in all aspects of property claims is more important than ever due to the climate crisis.  Insurers are mitigating the risk of climate change by raising home insurance premiums, especially in areas highly susceptible to storms, such as Florida.  As climate change threatens the Sunshine State with more natural disasters, it’s becoming increasingly costly for Floridians to insure their homes and get compensation when a disaster strikes. 

In the event of a major storm, most people would expect their insurance company to be by their side, ready to assist when their home or business is damaged in a natural disaster.  When you buy property insurance, you hope that if you lose your home or deal with extensive damage, your insurance policy would be assessed and you recover your losses.  Unfortunately, the insurance companies usually have one thing in mind, which is profitability.  Far too often, insurers don’t compensate policyholders for valid claims, especially in the era of climate change.  

Due to global warming, insurance companies look more often to delay, deny or underpay legitimate claims since they need to cover more losses.  Our full-service property insurance litigation law firm is committed to helping policyholders receive fair and just coverage from their insurers.  Whether you have a complex claim or your insurer has engaged in bad faith insurance practices and you need to take legal action, we are here to help.  

In Florida, there are specific laws that govern how an insurance company needs to handle your damage claim.  An insurer cannot act in bad faith (e.g., unreasonably delay a claim, fail to respond to claims, underpay valid claims, perform inadequate investigations).  If they fail at this simple task, they will be hit with hefty punitive damages. 

Our property insurance law firm is based in Tampa, Florida and has won record-setting verdicts throughout the Sunshine State.  We have developed unique legal strategies for each of our clients (residential and commercial policyholders) when their insurance company has delayed, undervalued or denied their valid claim by producing solution-driven results.  Our law firm can assist you in a variety of insurance claim disputes, including:

• Hurricane or storm damage
• Smoke damage
• Hail damage
• Wind damage
• Fire damage
• Tornado damage
• Water damage
• Sinkhole damage

Corless Law Group was built on a foundation of providing clients with an outstanding representation for results in all aspects of property damage.  If you have questions about an insurance policy or insurance claim, we can answer them and provide you with the skilled counsel you need to protect your rights and receive full and fair compensation.  Call us 365 days a year at 813-258-4998 for a free consultation.  

As a property damage insurance lawyer, clients come to me asking about flood insurance and what their policy covers in order to protect themselves and their families.  A question that I get asked by policyholders is, Do I have flood insurance?  If I do, what does that cover?

Property insurance policies – for both homes and businesses – expressly exclude floods, such that if you want or need this coverage, you have to look elsewhere for help.  The primary source of flood coverage comes from the National Flood Insurance Program (“NFIP”).  The reason insurers exclude flood coverage from traditional property insurance has to do with the scope of the loss caused by these events.  For example, unlike an individual home claim for a fire, floods cause damage to entire neighborhoods, which makes it more difficult for insurers to spread their risk across several properties at the same time.  Even if a tornado hits your neighborhood, it will most likely impact some, but not all, of the structures.  Floods, on the other hand, take out entire areas at the same time.

The reality is that while flood insurance can help people rebuild and recover financially after a catastrophic deluge, very few people in the U.S. have it, and it is limited in available coverage.  In fact, most people whose homes were damaged or destroyed in Kentucky probably won’t be covered, and even if they were, the amount available is limited versus the value of the real estate. 

Under the NFIP, you may purchase the maximum for the value of your home up to $250,000, for the structure, and $100,000 for the contents.  The average price of a home in Kentucky in 2021 was $197,413, which means many homes will only get to a certain threshold before the owners’ responsibility kicks in.  Also, the values are not adjusted by home value; in Florida, where the average is more around $390,000, the NFIP policy gets to the max coverage pretty fast.  While it’s a little better for business structures, which go to $500,000, it would be expected to leave a lot of business owners on their own.

There is litigation over whether water damage is a flood, or if it is caused by other man-made sources.  A broken pipe, for example, can cause the entire home to be flooded, but is not a flood.  Floods are caused by external water that rises with the nearby water.  Corless Law Group represented a homeowner where a water main broke under the foundation, and over the following three weeks, 95,000 gallons of water seeped into the home.  There is a strict legal definition of what constitutes a “flood” and insurers will always aim to interpret the damage to your home or business narrowly so that they can avoid liability.  This is where we can help.  

Corless Law Group is a Large Loss law firm that aggressively advocates on policyholders’ behalf to ensure our clients get the coverage they deserve.  Consulting with a flood damage lawyer may be your only way to recover damages.  Our attorneys have successfully handled many water and flood damage claims.  Call us 365 days a year at 813-258-4998 to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation.  

Our firm has a successful track record of handling hundreds of flood insurance lawsuits.  If you’re a policyholder and you find yourself in a dispute with your insurance company, contact Corless Law Group today to help with your claim.  We have secured more than $500 million in case results for residential and commercial property owners throughout Florida.  There are virtually no other law firms that have the experience, knowledge, and record-setting results like Corless Law Group.  We are your go-to Florida flood insurance law firm. 

Florida’s property insurance catastrophe has led to companies leaving the state, others filing for bankruptcy, some choosing to nonrenew large swaths of insurance policies, and others drastically tightening their policy eligibility requirements. Insureds are stunned by the massive price hikes on premiums, policy cancellation notices, and companies shedding policies.

Insureds’ options in Florida have become limited, and consumers are facing dire consequences. The insurance industry in the Sunshine State is not sustainable. Insurers must pay legitimate property damage claims as doing so will save insurers money and help consumers.

Lawsuits are not the root cause of the insurance industry’s present problems. In fact, litigation is only incentivized when insurers fail to pay legitimate claims. Denying or delaying payment of valid claims cost insurers because that means property damage insurance lawyers like myself must litigate for what the insurance company legitimately owes my client. Then, when we look under the hood, we uncover bad faith insurance practices, which often leads to punitive damages that the insurer owes on top of the principal or cost of repairs. (Insurance bad faith exists when an insurer fails to honor the fair claim of the insured or unlawfully mishandles a claim.)

Governor Ron DeSantis says Florida fights around 100,000 insurance claims in court each year. Florida homeowners don’t want to be unjustly enriched; rather, they want roofs over their heads, sinkholes repaired, and water/mold removed after a storm strikes, to name just a few types of property damage claims we see here at Corless Law Group.

The governor agreed to a special legislative session – from May 23 through May 27 – to address the property insurance crisis of dropped coverage and higher costs. The special session should consider reforms, which will include insurance executives being questioned under oath in order to pave the way for consumer protections and relief that everyday Floridians so desperately need. We must protect Florida consumers. (The session, however, will not include condominium reforms, which is surprising given the deadly Surfside condo collapse.)

Corless Law Group counsels and advises residential and commercial policyholders whose valid claims have been delayed, denied or underpaid by their insurance companies. With over $500 million recovered for policyholders, allow us to show you how we successfully resolve property damage disputes. Call 813-258-4998 today.