You paid for the policy. A Florida property insurance claim lawyer makes them pay.
A Florida property insurance claim lawyer steps in when your insurer denies, delays or underpays a claim on your home. Sunshine State Law Firm fights for homeowners after hurricanes, roof leaks, burst pipes and fires, from offices in Winter Park, Tampa and Jacksonville. The policy review is free, and there’s no fee unless we recover.
When the insurer says no, waiting costs you twice
We’re sorry about your home. You paid premiums for years, and when you finally needed the policy, the answer was a denial, a delay or a check that won’t cover the repair.
Insurers have adjusters, engineers and lawyers whose job is to pay as little as the policy allows. Here’s what that usually looks like, and what it can cost you.
The denial letter
“Wear and tear,” “pre-existing,” “excluded.” Many denials don’t hold up to a careful read of the policy.
The lowball estimate
An adjuster’s number that’s a fraction of what real contractors quote.
The endless requests
Document after document, re-inspections and examinations under oath while your home waits.
What waiting can cost you
The one-year notice
A new claim must be reported within one year of the date of loss.
Damage spreads
Water becomes mold, and the insurer may blame you for not stopping it.
What you sign
Some releases and forms limit what you can claim later.
Paying out of pocket
Every month of delay is a month of repairs on your credit card.
The insurance company has a team. Now you do too.
Get my free case reviewHow we can help
Property insurance claims we handle across Florida
Every claim starts the same way: something damaged your home, and the insurer didn’t pay what the policy promises. What changes is the cause, the coverage and the evidence that proves it. Pick the one closest to what happened, or just send us your denial letter.
Hurricane damage
Wind and water damage after storms like Ian and Milton. We check that your hurricane deductible was applied correctly and push back on low estimates.
Hurricane damage: how we helpRoof damage
Insurers often blame “wear and tear.” An independent inspection can show the damage came from a storm, not age.
Roof damage: how we helpFire damage
The structure, everything inside it and the cost of living somewhere else while your home is rebuilt.
Ask us about your casePersonal property
Furniture, appliances, electronics and clothing that were damaged or destroyed, valued the way your policy promises.
Ask us about your caseDenied homeowners claims
Denied, delayed or paid far below your contractor’s estimate? Many denials don’t hold up to a careful read of the policy.
Denied homeowners claims: how we help
Florida law, in plain words
How property insurance claims work in Florida
Florida rewrote its property insurance laws several times between 2021 and 2023, and many deadlines got shorter. Here’s the short version, so you know what the adjuster already knows.
- To give your insurer notice of a new or reopened claim
- 1 year
- To give your insurer notice of a new or reopened claim
- For the insurer to pay or deny after it gets notice
- 60 days
- For the insurer to pay or deny after it gets notice
- To file a supplemental claim for damage found later
- 18 months
- To file a supplemental claim for damage found later
You have one year to report a new claim
Since Florida’s 2022 reforms, notice of a new or reopened property claim must reach your insurer within one year of the date of loss. A supplemental claim, for damage found later or a higher repair cost, has 18 months.
Your insurer has deadlines too
It must acknowledge your claim within 7 days and pay or deny it within 60 days of notice, unless factors outside its control prevent it. A denial, or a payment below its own estimate, must be explained in writing.
The policy decides what’s covered
Wind, fire, sudden water damage and theft are usually covered. Flood, wear and tear and long-term leaks usually aren’t. The wording of your policy, its endorsements and your deductibles matter more than anything an adjuster says on the phone.
There are ways to fight back
Florida’s state mediation program, the appraisal clause in many policies and, after written pre-suit notice to the insurer, a lawsuit for breach of the policy. Which one fits depends on whether you disagree about coverage or about the amount.
Deadlines and coverage depend on your policy and the date of loss. A free policy review is the fastest way to know where you stand.
What your policy may cover
A fair payment covers more than the obvious damage. Every policy is different, so we start by reading yours, then make sure every coverage you paid for is part of the claim.
Your home’s structure
Roof, walls, floors, cabinets and built-ins, repaired at real contractor prices.
Other structures
Fences, screen enclosures, pool cages, sheds and detached garages.
Your belongings
Furniture, appliances, electronics and clothing that were damaged or destroyed.
Additional living expenses
Hotel or rental costs and extra meals while your home isn’t livable.
Emergency repairs
Tarps, water extraction and drying to keep the damage from spreading.
Code upgrades
Work the building department requires, if you have ordinance or law coverage.
Proof, not promises
Real people, real results
Recovered for a Florida homeowner
[$X]
[Damage type, city and year: one sentence on the first offer and the final recovery.]
Every case is different. Past results don’t guarantee a similar outcome.
“The insurance company denied our claim twice. Sunshine read every page of the policy, found what they missed and got our house fixed. They explained everything in Spanish for my parents.”
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Three simple steps
Getting help is simple
From the first look at your policy to the final check, you’ll always know who’s handling your claim and what happens next.
- 1
Send us the letter
A free review with an attorney, in English or Spanish. Your policy, the insurer’s letter and a few photos are plenty.
- 2
We document the damage
Independent adjusters, contractors and engineers inspect your home and price the real repair.
- 3
We push for full payment
We negotiate hard, use mediation or appraisal when it helps and, if the insurer won’t be fair, file suit.
We’re fighting to get your home repaired
Before
- A denial letter and a damaged home
- Alone against the insurer’s experts
- Paying for repairs out of pocket
With Sunshine
- A clear read of what your policy covers
- Independent experts on your side
- Your home repaired
Your home repaired
A payment that covers what the repair really costs.
Your policy honored
The insurer delivers what you paid for all those years.
Your costs covered
Emergency repairs and temporary housing included where covered.
Peace of mind
No more endless calls and paperwork. We handle it.
Every case is different. Past results don’t guarantee a similar outcome.
Across Florida
Close to home, wherever your home is
Our property claim attorneys work from Winter Park, Tampa and Jacksonville and represent homeowners across the state. We know how Florida insurers handle claims after a storm, and what it takes to get them to pay.
Three offices
Winter Park, Tampa and Jacksonville. We meet at your home, at our office or by video, and we’ll come look at the damage.
Citizens and private insurers
Citizens Property Insurance and private carriers each have their own procedures. We handle claims against both.
Storms we’ve worked through
Ian, Nicole, Idalia, Helene and Milton left thousands of Florida claims denied or underpaid, many still open today.
Our promise
We treat your case as if it were our own.
What it costs, and why Sunshine
No fee unless we recover, and we read every page
After damage to their home, most Floridians end up fighting the insurance company alone. Sunshine State Law Firm takes on that fight and keeps you informed every step of the way, so you can get your home back. No fee unless we recover for you.
- No fee unless we recover for you. The percentage is in writing before you sign, along with the Statement of Client’s Rights Florida requires.
- You’ll always know who’s handling your case, with updates by text, email and phone.
- Hablamos español, from the first call to the final check.
- No question is a dumb question. We explain every step in plain words.
Guides for Florida homeowners
When you need a homeowners insurance attorney in Florida
When a Florida homeowners insurance attorney can help with a denied or underpaid claim, what they do at each stage, and how 2022 law changes affect you.
Read the guide
Florida Senate Bill 76: what homeowners need to know
Florida Senate Bill 76 changed how homeowners insurance claims and disputes work. What it did, what the 2022 reforms added and what it means for you today.
Read the guide
What does a fire insurance claim lawyer do in Florida?
What a fire insurance claim lawyer does: reviews your policy, values smoke and contents losses, and disputes denials or lowball offers under Florida law.
Read the guide
Questions about Florida property insurance claims
No question is a dumb question. Here are the ones we hear most.
We read your policy and the insurer’s letters, document the damage with independent experts, handle every call with the adjuster and push for full payment through negotiation, mediation, appraisal or a lawsuit. The goal is a payment that actually repairs your home.
Why homeowners hire an insurance attorneyNothing up front. We work on a contingency fee: our fee is a percentage of what we recover, and you owe no attorney’s fee if we don’t recover. The percentage and how case costs are handled are in a written agreement you see before you sign.
You must give your insurer notice of a new or reopened claim within one year of the date of loss, and of a supplemental claim within 18 months. The deadline to sue the insurer is separate. Report damage promptly, even if you’re still finding it.
If your insurer pays fairly and on time, you may not need anyone. If your claim was denied, delayed past 60 days or paid well below your contractor’s estimate, a free review can show whether the insurer got it wrong. We’ll be honest if you don’t need us.
Do I need an insurance lawyer? 5 ways to knowAppraisal settles disagreements about how much the damage is worth: each side picks an appraiser, and an umpire breaks ties. It doesn’t decide whether something is covered. A lawsuit can decide both. We’ll explain which fits your claim.
No. Standard homeowners policies exclude flood. Flood coverage is a separate policy, usually through the National Flood Insurance Program, with its own rules and deadlines. Wind and wind-driven rain are usually covered by the homeowners policy.
Yes. We represent homeowners across Florida from our offices in Winter Park, Tampa and Jacksonville, and we can meet by video or come to your home.
Homeowners claim denied or underpaid?
Water, fire and wind claims are the ones we see most. See how Florida’s deadlines and your policy shape your claim.
Tell us your story. We’ll take it from here.
A free, personal conversation with an attorney. No pressure, no fee unless we recover for you.
Hablamos español · Consulta gratis