Clients are also not required to accept repairs from contractors chosen by the insurance carrier. If your carrier doesn't let you bring in your own contractor, the Consumer Federation of America advises complaining to your state insurance department.
Be Prepared To Fight
There are other tricks to be wary of, too. Some policies claim that if you have both wind and flood damage at the same time, but the flood damage isn't covered, the wind damage won't be covered either. So be prepared to fight if necessary.
Similarly, carriers can only produce one explanation for denial of coverage. If you're told one thing, the company can't later produce a new reason for denying payment. Such ambiguities can be fought in court.
In such cases—or if any valid claim is denied—clients should seriously consider consulting an attorney. "Advisors better be educated," says Hunter, adding that if the situation extends beyond an advisor's knowledge base, it's best to "hire experts that know what they are doing. Consumers will never be real insurance experts. …They need help with claims." And that help is often best coming from an attorney.
Advisors and clients alike could be forgiven for feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of recent events. "We’ve advised some clients to avoid the headaches and sell their vacation homes," says Snyder. "In times like these, renting can be attractive.”