The following are usually covered under a standard homeowner’s insurance policy. You therefore should be able to file a claim and be repaid for problems associated with these issues:

• Dwelling: This coverage protects against damage to the home’s structure if there is a covered event such as a fire, hail, hurricane or lightning. You need separate policies to cover damage caused by a flood or earthquake. The amount of coverage you should buy should be adequate to cover costs of rebuilding your home if it is completely destroyed. Such insurance covers only your dwelling and not the land it stands on. Therefore, the insurance will not pay the market value of the home and land.
• Other structures on the property: Other structures might be detached garages, sheds or a small cottage on the property, housing an older member of the family.
• Personal property and contents: This part of a home insurance policy covers the cost of replacing a person’s possessions. That might be jewelry, clothing, furniture, fixtures, appliances and so forth. It is wise to make a list and take photographs of your possessions. This not only enables you to determine how much insurance you should buy, it serves as proof to show the insurance company when claiming coverage for your losses.
• Loss of use coverage: This pays for other living quarters, food, restaurants, etc. which you would need to pay for if your home were completely destroyed and you could not use it to live in, prepare food and so on.
• Personal liability insurance: This part of your policy covers you in case you are sued by someone being hurt on your property, such as a gardener who falls out of a tree and breaks an ankle or a passerby who is bitten by your dog. Another type of personal liability coverage is coverage added to your basic policy. This sometimes is called an umbrella liability policy. This protects against suits for libel, slander, defamation of character, false arrest, detention, imprisonment, malicious prosecution, invasion of privacy and wrongful eviction or wrongful entry.
• Medical payment or “MedPay” coverage: This coverage pays for medical costs when someone is hurt on your property but decides not to sue you. MedPay commonly pays $1,000 for each person injured.

This type of coverage, however, does not cover certain injuries, including:

• Infecting someone with a communicable disease
• Abusing someone physically, mentally, or sexually
• Having to do with the sale, manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance

If your insurance company denies payment for any of the above covered instances, delays payments for such occurrences, or disputes your right to be paid for them, you should contact a bad faith insurance attorney immediately. The sooner you contact an attorney, the sooner you will be paid what you are owed. Before contacting an attorney, gather as much information as possible. Get a copy of your policy and write down any interaction you’ve had with the insurance company (including dates and times of calls, names of people you spoke with and what they told you). Keep any letters from your insurance company as well.

To speak with an attorney in the Miami area about a possible homeowner’s insurance claim, contact our law office today. We will be happy to help you collect the money you are rightfully owed.