The Florida Division of Insurance Fraud announced this month the arrest of a Naples, Florida man, Daniel T. Phelps.  Phelps allegedly stole two insurance claim payments totaling over $96,000 from an elderly New Jersey business owner who shortly after Hurricane Sandy in 2012, sustained damage to his business.

George Capuzzi had filed an insurance claim as a result Hurricane Sandy. However, he suffered from health-related issued and was in need of assistance with the filing of the hurricane insurance claim for his business. Considering Capuzzi’s need for assistance, a mutual friend referred Daniel Phelps to Capuzzi as someone who could assist him the claims filing process.

The Division of Insurance Fraud received information demonstrating that Phelps had stolen two checks from Capuzzi who was awaiting an insurance disbursement to make the necessary repairs to re-open his business in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Phelps took advantage of the elderly business owner and re-directed the delivery of the insurance claim checks to his girlfriend’s home in Naples. Once mailed, Phelps took a trip to South Florida. After receiving the checks, Phelps fraudulently endorsed Capuzzi’s name. Phelps attempted to mask the fraudulent deposit by utilizing his step-brother’s driver’s license to deposit the checks into a joint bank account. He then transferred the funds out of the joint account into his personal bank account, where he used the money at will.

During the following three months, the Department of Insurance Fraud said Phelps spent the $96,000 on a new Jaguar car, a trip to Key West, a boat, and Lasik eye surgery. As of today, due to Phelps’s fraud George Capuzzi’s business has not re-opened.

Earlier this month, Phelps was picked up at the Broward County Health Center on charges of grand theft, scheming to defraud, and criminal use of personal ID. Phelp’s case will be prosecuted by the Office of the State Attorney.

Just this past summer several powerful windstorms have hit  several areas in Florida. These storms have been strong enough to damage shingles and tear off roofs.

As advocates for policy holders, we have seen that many insurance claims arising out of storms will be underpaid, delayed, or wrongly denied. Homeowners may be intimidated by denial letters and left without direction.

Regardless of why your damages have not been paid, we can review your claim free of charge. Hire an insurance expert who can navigate you through the process and rightfully obtain a settlement for your damages.

We will let you know whether the insurance company is acting with good faith and doing the right thing. If legal representation is advised and we obtain a fair settlement, insurance company will be responsible for paying attorney’s fees and cost.

Our goal is to get you a settlement that is rightfully yours. We will not let “NO” be the final answer. Call The Mineo Salcedo Law Firm for a free consultation.  (954) 463-8100.

 

Properties in Florida have a greater propensity to have roof damage from wind or hall. If you have lived in Florida for several years, you may have experienced storms that could have potentially damage to your roof.  Luckily, in many cases storm damage to your roof will be covered under your property insurance policy.

However, insurance companies may not always properly evaluate damage and many insured’s will end up with a denied claim. The following are strategies many carriers use:

·       Reporting that damages are due to construction errors in installation.

·       Denying the coverage under the wear and tear exclusion in policies.

·       Carriers will blame deterioration when the roof had not leaked until a hail or wind storm. It is important to note that most shingle roofs in Florida have a 20 year life.

·       Florida law requires that 25% or more of the roof to be damages in order to receive full replacement from the insurance company. Insurance companies may agree to only pay a small portion even if more than 25% is damaged.

·       Hiring engineers who will report that the roof has little to no damage.

Our firm has successfully litigated roof claims against some of the largest insurance companies and often when a case is won, the insurance company will be responsible for paying attorney’s fees and cost.  Think you have roof damage?  Call The Mineo Salcedo Law Firm for a free home inspection and consultation.  (954) 463-8100.

Tropical Storm Erika was treated as a breeze for South Florida. However, it was an effective practice drill for the community.

Tropical Storm Erika teased South Florida for several days. We experienced some flood advisories and lightening but no major incidents.

Many expected South Florida to be out of practice for a hurricane because we have had very few threats since Hurricane Wilma hit in 2005 when it took a surprised U-turn across the Everglades and caused $20 billion in damages.

Yet if South Florida was rusty in hurricane preparedness, it sure did not show any signs of it. Drivers patiently waited to fuel their vehicles. Locals bought supplies out of grocery stores ahead of time and there were minimal reports of impolite shoppers or panic. Many residents put up hurricane shutters and stored outside objects that had the potential of becoming flying projectiles.

Government official had the opportunity to test out their emergency plans. Government Rick Scott declared a state of emergency which allows Florida to seek assistance from the federal government and other states if the need arises.

Many questions are still left unanswered.  The revised flood maps, specifically in Palm Beach cities and western Broward have allowed property owners to opt out of buying flood insurance. What effect will this have in the event that a flood does occur?

Citizens Property Insurance Corp has outsourced thousands of policies to fairly new companies. South Florida has not experienced a hurricane in over 10 years. Will the upstart companies be able to properly respond to a catastrophe?

Are groceries stores and gasoline stations truly prepared? Due to the hour-long lines at gasoline stations after Hurricane Wilma, a law was passed that now require back-up generators at gas stations within a half-mile of an evacuation zones and interstate highways.

How well can county water managers handle the control of canal levels and stormwater pumps to reduce flooding?  How efficiently have 911 emergency service response systems handled storms?

Florida Power and Light and other utility companies are also of concern. How quickly can companies like FPL address power interruptions?

Most of these questions can only be answered through actual experiences and for now, will be left for another storm and hopefully another season.

Suffered storm damage?  Call the experts at The Mineo Salcedo Law Firm for a free consultation.  (954) 463-8100.

Knowing what insurance policy to purchase can be quite a task if you are unfamiliar with the market. As one of the largest assets Americans own, it is recommended that you carry adequate coverage against a loss to your home.

Homeowners insurance will mitigate the risk of loss from various causes of loss such as, hurricanes, theft, fire, and water damage. The standard policy will generally cover property structure, personal property and provide protection against liability for accidental damage to other people’s property or injured invitees.

Do your homework in choosing a policy; you have to make sure you can rely on the company you choose. Here are some tips to help you through the process.

1. Most states have websites that contain information to help indicate an insurance company’s health. The state websites will contain information such as complaints, insurance company rating, and fraud reports. What matters is that the insurance company provides service quality, customer satisfaction, and has the financial capacity to meet its obligations.

2. Decide the amount of coverage you need. If you have a mortgage, the lender may require you to carry policy limits that cover the property to your loan amount. Keep in mind that the better your coverage the less you will have to pay out of pocket. The policy rate you pay will depend on various factors such as the location of the property and the amount of coverage you select for your home, personal property and contents.

3. Chose a deductible that you would be comfortable paying out of pocket if you file a claim. A deductible is the amount you have to pay out of pocket for every claim you file.

4. Some causes of loss are not covered under a homeowner’s insurance policy. For example, floods are not covered; you will need to purchase a separate flood policy. It is recommended that you purchase a policy if your property is located within a high flood risk area. If this is the case, some lenders may require you to purchase a flood policy.

5. Shop around for policies. Note that you are not required to purchase a policy from the insurance company your lender recommends. Visit several agents and get a couple of rates from different insurance companies to insure you are receiving the most affordable rate as well as one that meets your needs.

If needed seek assistance from an insurance professional. A qualified insurance agent will conduct a thorough analysis of your insurance needs. Check with your agent every year to insure your policy is providing adequate coverage. In the unfortunate event that you suffer a loss which requires that you file a claim, do so immediately after contacting someone who is knowledgeable about property insurance policies. The professionals at The Mineo Salcedo Law Firm have over 50 years of combined experience in the insurance industry and would be happy to discuss your claim with you. Call (954) 463-8100 for a free consultation.

Knowing what insurance policy to purchase can be quite a task if you are unfamiliar with the market. As one of the largest assets Americans own, it is recommended that you carry adequate coverage against a loss to your home.

Homeowners insurance will mitigate the risk of loss from various causes of loss such as, hurricanes, theft, fire, and water damage. The standard policy will generally cover property structure, personal property and provide protection against liability for accidental damage to other people’s property or injured invitees.

Do your homework in choosing a policy; you have to make sure you can rely on the company you choose. Here are some tips to help you through the process.

1. Most states have websites that contain information to help indicate an insurance company’s health. The state websites will contain information such as complaints, insurance company rating, and fraud reports. What matters is that the insurance company provides service quality, customer satisfaction, and has the financial capacity to meet its obligations.

2. Decide the amount of coverage you need. If you have a mortgage, the lender may require you to carry policy limits that cover the property to your loan amount. Keep in mind that the better your coverage the less you will have to pay out of pocket. The policy rate you pay will depend on various factors such as the location of the property and the amount of coverage you select for your home, personal property and contents.

3. Chose a deductible that you would be comfortable paying out of pocket if you file a claim. A deductible is the amount you have to pay out of pocket for every claim you file.

4. Some causes of loss are not covered under a homeowner’s insurance policy. For example, floods are not covered; you will need to purchase a separate flood policy. It is recommended that you purchase a policy if your property is located within a high flood risk area. If this is the case, some lenders may require you to purchase a flood policy.

5. Shop around for policies. Note that you are not required to purchase a policy from the insurance company your lender recommends. Visit several agents and get a couple of rates from different insurance companies to insure you are receiving the most affordable rate as well as one that meets your needs.

If needed seek assistance from an insurance professional. A qualified insurance agent will conduct a thorough analysis of your insurance needs. Check with your agent every year to insure your policy is providing adequate coverage. In the unfortunate event that you suffer a loss which requires that you file a claim, do so immediately after contacting someone who is knowledgeable about property insurance policies. The professionals at The Mineo Salcedo Law Firm have over 50 years of combined experience in the insurance industry and would be happy to discuss your claim with you. Call (954) 463-8100 for a free consultation.