Law and Ordinance Coverage
New laws and building codes have added to the cost of building. Most property insurance policies, however, do not cover the extra cost of meeting these codes when repairing or rebuilding an older structure or home. Property insurance policyholders may select a law and ordinance coverage option to cover this cost.
Tampa Law and Ordinance Coverage Lawyer
If you are making a claim on your law and ordinance coverage in Central Florida, an attorney can help you maximize your recovery and fight for you if the insurance company resists paying a sufficient amount. Tampa law and ordinance coverage lawyers at the Germain Law Group will seek the best result for you. Insurance companies may look out for the bottom line, but we’ll look out for you. Call us today at (813) 835-8888 to schedule a consultation.
The Germain Law Group represents clients in Hillsborough County, Pinellas County, Polk County, Citrus County, Sumter County, Hernando County, and surrounding counties.
Reasons for Law and Ordinance Coverage in Florida
Building structures used to be a laissez-faire business, with builders free to build as they choose. Over the past century, the state of Florida, the city of Tampa and other municipalities and lawmaking bodies have created stricter building codes for both residential and commercial properties, to protect the safety of occupants and the public.
These building codes include the necessity for more structural security, requirements for fire prevention such as sprinkler systems, requirements for electrical and plumbing systems, prohibition of certain building materials like asbestos, requirements that buildings withstand disasters like hurricanes, and accessibility requirements for people with disabilities.
If you have an older building or home, these requirements did not apply when the structure was built, so they would not meet current code today. Often, it’s fine for these buildings to continue to operate in their present state.
However, if a hurricane, flood, fire or other disaster badly damages the structure, it may become necessary that, in the process of rebuilding or repairing the building, that the building meet these codes. Meeting these code requirements can be very expensive, and cost much more than it would cost to simply return the building to its prior state.
Insurance policies, though, consider these extra costs an “improvement,” and do not cover them. Ordinance and law coverage is an option for property insurance policies that covers the cost of meeting building codes and ordinances.
Typically, the policy holder will select a percentage of the policy limit that will be covered to meet codes and ordinances when repairing the building after a covered event. Under Florida law, you may have up to 25 percent covered. For instance, if you select the 25 percent option, and the cost of meeting ordinances is 20 percent of your policy limit, then the full amount is covered.
Denial of Law and Ordinance Coverage in Hillsborough County
Your insurer may deny your claim for law and ordinance coverage, or unnecessarily delay it so that you are effectively denied coverage. They may also offer a settlement that is lower than necessary, using cheap labor or shoddy practices as their rationale.
Your Tampa property insurance lawyer can fight these tactics, negotiating a better settlement or, if necessary, taking the insurance company to court to get your recovery.
Germain Law Group | Central Florida Law and Ordinance Insurance Attorney
If you are making a claim on your law and ordinance coverage, seek the help of an experienced Tampa law and ordinance coverage lawyer. The attorneys at Germain Law Group will fight to get the best recovery for you. Call us today at (813) 835-8888 to set up a consultation to discuss your claim.