Frequently Asked Questions about Property Insurance Claims in Iowa

Answers from Our Des Moines Insurance Attorneys

You may ask yourself why you would need an attorney for a property insurance claim. This is a common question because most lawyers do not handle property claims, and even fewer have an extensive background in estimating structural damage and compiling personal property inventories.

At Hope Law Firm, our team has successfully helped many Iowans navigate the property insurance claims process with relative ease. We strive to take the burden off our clients’ shoulders and to ensure a favorable resolution.

Contact us online or call (515) 298-5056 to learn more about how we can help.

Our Approach to Property Insurance Claims

At Hope Law Firm, we have developed a unique claims-handling process whereby we can handle all aspects of your property insurance claim from start to finish.

Our services are best described in five parts:

Personal Property

Our rapid response team of inventory specialists immediately begins working with you to produce an exhaustive and accurate personal property inventory, including digital photo documentation and replacement value and depreciation analysis. Because the contents inventory is a vital part of the claim, our staff will spend as much time as needed until every item of damaged property is accounted for.

Building Damage

We employ a highly trained, expert structural loss adjuster to produce an independent estimate to repair or rebuild your home or business. This service offers two advantages to our client. First, the estimate is accurate and will not contain cost-saving adjustments commonly found in a general contractor estimate or the insurance company adjuster’s estimate. Second, upon settlement of the insurance claim, the homeowner can use this accurate estimate to compare and evaluate the bid estimates she/he receives from general contractors who want to complete the repairs.

Additional Living Expenses

Our staff works closely with the insurance company adjuster to ensure that you receive an accurate amount of additional living expense reimbursement pursuant to the insurance policy. Too often the insurance companies fail to adequately compensate homeowners for being displaced from their homes. We will assist you in documenting all expenses and communicate directly with the adjuster to obtain prompt payment.

Claim Settlement Negotiation

Having already successfully handled hundreds of property insurance claims, we know what it takes to obtain a prompt, fair settlement of your claim. Our experience puts our clients at ease knowing they do not have to fight with the insurance company adjuster.

The most common disputes involve:

• Depreciation and replacement cost value of personal property
• Disputes over like and kind of building products to be used in the rebuilding process
• The scope of damage resulting from the loss

In the event your claim is mishandled by the insurance company, and they refuse to pay a fair amount for your losses, we will pursue legal remedies to achieve a fair result.

Mortgage Company Correspondence

Often, the mortgage company may be difficult to coordinate with to release the insurance proceeds for repairs to your home. As part of our services, we may handle the correspondence and coordinate the release of funds from the mortgage company.

What Are the Costs?

Property insurance cases are handled on a contingency fee basis. Our fees are a small percentage of the insurance claim payments. If there is no recovery for you through either settlement or verdict, you pay nothing for our representation.

An Aggressive & Affordable Legal Remedy for Property Damage

At Hope Law Firm, our insurance claim attorneys in Des Moines give you hope when fire or another disaster strikes causing damage to your home or business. We successfully have managed to obtain for our property insurance claims clients three or four times the amount of compensation they thought they could get.

Call us at (515) 298-5056 if your home or other property has been damaged by fire or if you have another property insurance claim. We offer free consultations with no obligation.