They underpaid my claim. Can you help me?

Short answer: Yes. Underpaid claims are one of the most common reasons people call Homeland. We reinspect the damage, write our own estimate, compare it line by line with the insurer's, and present a supplemental claim for what was left out. In Florida, a supplemental claim must be reported within 18 months after the date of loss.

Why claims come up short

Most underpaid claims aren't one big mistake. They're dozens of small ones: rooms that weren't measured, materials priced at the wrong grade, damage that wasn't opened up and documented, code upgrades left out, or the whole roof priced as a patch. The insurer's estimate is a starting point, not the final word.

What Homeland does

• Reinspect the property and document everything the first estimate missed, with photos and moisture readings.
• Write a full estimate and compare it line by line with the insurer's.
• Present the supplemental claim and negotiate it. Nelson Avila is also a Florida Certified Residential Contractor and a property insurance appraiser and umpire, so the estimate is built by people who know construction and how settlements are actually decided.

The deadlines that matter

• Florida: a supplemental claim must be reported within 18 months after the date of loss (Fla. Stat. §627.70132). The insurer must pay or deny an initial, reopened or supplemental claim within 60 days after notice of it (Fla. Stat. §627.70131).
• New Jersey: the insurer must decide a first-party property claim within 30 calendar days after receiving properly executed proofs of loss, unless it's clearly justified, and must keep you informed in writing if it can't (N.J.A.C. 11:2-17.7).

If negotiation doesn't close the gap, the next steps can include appraisal (if your policy has the clause), Florida's free DFS mediation program (Fla. Stat. §627.7015), or an attorney. Every option, compared.

Follow-up questions