Miami sits in one of the most hurricane-exposed markets in the country, and carriers know it. After every named storm — Andrew, Wilma, Irma, Ian, and the storms since — we see the same patterns: lowball offers, slow-walked inspections, engineer reports attributing wind damage to 'wear and tear,' and outright denials. The Farber Law Firm has fought these tactics for over 25 years.
Florida's 2022 and 2023 legislative reforms reshaped how hurricane claims work. The notice deadlines are shorter, the one-way attorney-fee statute is largely gone for new policies, and assignment-of-benefits has been substantially restricted. Carriers have grown more aggressive with denials in response. None of that changes what your policy says you're owed.
Miami's housing mix complicates claims. High-rise condos invoke complex master-policy / unit-owner allocation under Chapter 718. Older single-family neighborhoods like Coral Way, Shenandoah, and Little Havana have varied construction types where wind-versus-water causation fights are common. Newer South-Beach and Brickell developments raise issues around stucco, window-system warranties, and roof-deck installation.
We've represented Miami homeowners, condo associations, restaurants, and commercial property owners on hurricane claims ranging from a single roof to multi-million-dollar building losses. Every claim starts with the same question: what does the policy actually say?
We need the declarations page, full policy, denial or estimate letter, and any photos or reports you've gathered.
We compare the policy language against the loss and identify where the carrier is wrong — coverage, valuation, or causation.
We retain engineers and contractors as needed and assemble a demand the carrier can't ignore.
Where bad faith is supported, we file a CRN and start the 60-day cure clock. If the carrier still won't pay, we sue.
We try first-party property cases. That's the leverage that moves settlement offers.
We represent clients in every neighborhood, including:
Under Fla. Stat. § 627.70132 (as amended in 2022–2023), you generally have 1 year from the date of loss to give initial notice of a hurricane or windstorm claim, and 18 months for a supplemental or reopened claim. These windows are shorter than the prior law — do not wait.
Carriers regularly attribute hurricane damage to wear-and-tear or pre-existing conditions to avoid paying. The policy controls — but so does causation evidence. We retain engineers and use weather data to establish that the loss was caused by the covered windstorm event.
Underpayment is a breach of the insurance contract. We send an itemized demand backed by licensed contractor estimates, engineer reports, and Xactimate scoping, then sue if the carrier won't pay. Most underpaid cases resolve once the file is properly built.
Yes. The master policy generally covers the building structure as 'originally built' (Fla. Stat. § 718.111(11)), while your HO-6 covers interior alterations, betterments, and personal property. Coordination matters — we've handled both sides of that line.
Florida law prohibits non-renewal in retaliation for legitimate claims, but post-storm market behavior is real. We focus on enforcing your existing policy rights — non-renewal threats should not stop you from collecting what you're owed under the contract you already paid for.
Free, confidential consultation. No fee unless we recover (most personal injury and insurance matters).
Call 8888-FARBER