Experienced Hail Damage Claim Attorneys Serving Orlando and Central Florida
Orlando storms do not always arrive as hurricanes, but they can create the same level of hassle from an insurance standpoint. Some of the hardest insurance fights start after a fast, loud hailstorm that leaves dents, cracked tiles, bruised shingles, and leaks that show up days later. An Orlando hail damage attorney can help you determine a clear plan for your claim and provide a way to push back when the carrier downplays what hail really did to your home.
The attorneys and team at Kuhn Raslavich Attorneys at Law have extensive experience helping Florida property owners with first-party insurance disputes. A lawyer from our firm will build a claim file that aligns with the policy language and real repair needs, then press for fair payment when the insurer delays, underpays, or denies coverage.
What Makes Hail Damage Claims Different
Hail claims often turn into “small damage” arguments, even when repairs cost real money. Adjusters may call the problem cosmetic, point to age, or say the marks do not change how the roof or exterior performs. A skilled hail damage lawyer will know how to tie the hail event to specific damaged components and explain why the full system repair scope matters.
Hail also creates mixed damage patterns. A roof slope facing one direction may show clear hits, while another looks fine from the ground. Soft metals can dent, window screens can tear, and stucco can chip in a way that looks minor until water intrusion starts. A focused inspection, paired with a repair estimate that makes sense line by line, usually carries more weight than a pile of random photos.
Proof often becomes the difference between “patch it” and “replace it.” When an attorney gets involved early enough, the claim can be built around the questions the insurer must answer: what happened, what parts were damaged, and what it costs to repair to a reasonable pre-loss condition under the policy.
How Florida Policies Treat Hail and Storm Damage
Most homeowner policies cover direct physical loss caused by named perils or by sudden events, but the details live in the exclusions, limits, and deductibles. Insurers often raise questions regarding wear and tear and deterioration, even when hail clearly caused new damage. A clean claim connects the hail date to new damage and separates it from older issues without guessing.
Payment terms also matter. Many policies start with actual cash value and then release additional funds after repairs, while others use different rules depending on the item and the coverage part. Deductibles can change the math in a hurry, especially if the policy uses a percentage deductible for windstorm events. Clear numbers help you see whether the dispute is about coverage, scope, or pricing.
Matching issues show up in hail claims more than people think. Florida Statutes Chapter 626, Section 9744 requires reasonable repairs or replacement in adjoining areas when replaced items do not match in quality, color, or size. A small area of damaged siding or tile can still create a larger replacement need when the match cannot be achieved with available materials.
Ways That Hail Impacts Orlando Homes
Hail rarely limits itself to one surface. Even when the roof takes the first hit, the rest of the exterior can show damage that affects function, water resistance, or long-term durability. A smart claim inventory looks beyond the most obvious dents.
A hail strike can also loosen a shingle or tile, and a later rainstorm can push water into the underlayment, attic, or wall cavities. Interior staining often becomes the first “visible” sign, even though the hail event started the chain. Roofing materials and related components, such as vents, flashing, ridge caps, and drip edges, are vulnerable to hail impacts, which can weaken seals and create entry points.
Exterior metals and surfaces such as gutters, downspouts, window screens, lanai enclosures, garage doors, and AC fins also commonly suffer damage. Dents and tears can affect drainage, protection, and performance.
Painting the Entire Picture
When an experienced property insurance claims lawyer reviews the full exterior, the claim can reflect how homes actually work as systems, not as isolated parts. The goal is to show that your coverage matches the repairs needed.
Evidence That Can Push an Insurer to Do What is Right
Hail claims move faster when the file answers the insurer’s questions before that insurer asks them. Dates, measurements, photos, and estimates should line up with each other. A strong timeline also limits the “something else caused it” argument.
Weather support can help, but it cannot replace physical evidence. Reports of hail in the area matter most when the roof and exterior show impact marks consistent with the hail’s size and direction. A consistent story across the evidence makes it harder to dismiss the damage as unrelated.
Records that often strengthen a hail claim include photos and video from multiple angles, including close-ups that show impact marks and wider shots that show slope location and pattern. Any prior roof or exterior repair records can also help, because they can separate older work from new hail impacts. Once the evidence is organized, an attorney can present it in a way that tracks the policy language and keeps the focus on measurable facts, not opinions.
Common Ways Insurers Dispute Central Florida Hail Claims
Cosmetic damage is one of the most common reasons for pushback from an insurance company. The insurer may argue that dents or granule loss do not affect the roof’s function, so they should not have to pay for a replacement. Some policies have cosmetic damage limits for certain items, while others do not, so the policy wording matters more than the adjuster’s label.
Causation disputes also regularly occur. An adjuster may point to heat, age, foot traffic, installation issues, or “wear and tear” to reduce the scope of the claim. A clean inspection record, tied to the hail date and impact pattern, helps separate new hail bruising from older conditions.
Scope fights can become pricing fights. Carriers sometimes approve a small repair, then refuse the larger replacement needed for matching, code, or system integrity. Florida’s aforementioned matching rule can be critical. A skilled legal professional will handle it carefully and factually, rather than as a threat.
Deadlines, Notice Rules, and Claim Options Under Florida Law
Florida has a statute that can bar supplemental claims if notice is not given within 18 months after the date of loss, subject to the terms and conditions in the policy. The safest practice is to treat deadlines strictly and build the claim with urgency, even when the damage seems “not that bad” at first.
Florida’s property insurance landscape has also changed in recent years, including fee rules that affect how disputes get litigated. Strategy matters more than ever because timing, documentation, and the dispute path can shape the outcome.
How We Build Leverage for Orlando Property Owners
A hail claim tends to improve when the work follows a steady order: policy review, evidence plan, inspection support, and a clean demand that explains scope and pricing. Kuhn Raslavich focuses on first-party property insurance disputes across Florida, and our team will treat your claim like a project with steps, deadlines, and deliverables.
Communication style matters, too. Carriers respond better to organized submissions than to repeated emotional appeals, even when the frustration is justified. The file should make it easy for the insurer to see what happened, why the damage is covered, and what repair work is needed to restore the property.
Working with an attorney can also help you avoid common traps like incomplete proofs, inconsistent timelines, or repair scopes that leave out matching and related components. Payment should reflect the real repair job, not a simplified version that looks good on paper but fails in the field.
Speak With an Experienced Orlando Hail Damage Attorney With Kuhn Raslavich
When you need an Orlando hail damage attorney who will bring order to the process, our team at Kuhn Raslavich will review the policy, build a clear evidence-backed claim, and pursue full payment through negotiation or litigation if the carrier refuses to act fairly. A fast start can protect deadlines, reduce delay, and put you on a clearer path toward real repairs and financial relief. You can schedule a free case evaluation by calling 407-501-4833 or contacting us online.
How Kuhn Raslavich Builds Leverage in South Florida
Documentation wins claims. Kuhn Raslavich will gather pre-loss photos, permit histories, moisture readings, expert reports, and line-item estimates to tell a coherent story grounded in the policy’s language. Our team can convert that story into a demand that anticipates the carrier’s pushbacks.
Process control creates pressure. Our firm will calendar statutory deadlines, request claim file notes when available, and maintain written follow-ups on a predictable schedule. We will tie every delay to the statute and remind the carrier of its obligations under Florida law.
Results come from preparation. When the file provides credible support for cause, scope, and price, carriers have fewer excuses to cut or delay payment. A prepared attorney with our firm will present that support at the appraisal or in court if negotiation fails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does hail damage count as “windstorm” damage in Florida insurance claims?
Policy wording controls, and some policies group hail with wind-related perils or deductibles. A careful review can confirm which deductible applies and which exclusions the carrier may raise.
How long does my insurance company have to decide on my hail claim in Florida?
Florida law generally requires payment or denial within 60 days after the insurer receives notice of the claim, unless factors beyond the insurer’s control prevent a timely decision.
What happens if repairs will not match the existing materials after hail damage?
Florida’s matching statute can require reasonable repairs or replacement in adjoining areas when replaced items do not reasonably match, subject to any limitations in the policy. A strong claim usually pairs that rule with clear photos, material availability limits, and a repair scope that shows why partial work would leave a mismatch.
Reasons To Call Kuhn Raslavich
If you have suffered property damage as a result of water damage, fire, hail, or hurricane, CALL KUHN RASLAVICH FIRST…not your insurance carrier. Kuhn Raslavich charges no fees unless you get paid! We will deal with the insurance company on your behalf so you do not have to worry about setting up a claim or getting paid adequately. As an illustration of why hiring Kuhn Raslavich would be beneficial, consider this common occurrence:
- A hurricane badly damages your home.
- You call your insurance carrier who sends out one of their own adjusters to estimate the amount of damage.
- You accept the amount estimated by the insurance carrier, not knowing that it is extremely undervalued because the insurance company is trying to pay the least amount possible to settle your claim.
- As a result, you do not have enough money to repair your home properly.
We will come to your home and estimate the true value of the damage, which is often much greater than what the insurance company has determined. We will then gather all necessary paperwork and submit the claim to your insurance company. Once submitted, we help you along step by step and negotiate the claim in an effort to maximize your recovery.
Since filing a homeowner’s insurance claim is not a common occurrence, many homeowners do not know where to start. Many believe that their insurance company works for them, and is looking out for their best interest; however, insurers DO NOT represent homeowners and ARE NOT looking out for their best interest. Insurers are FOR PROFIT CORPORATIONS that are trying to pay the least amount possible to resolve claims.