Stucco.  Water Intrusion.  Remediation. 

The buzzword of the late 1990’s, early 2000’s building boom was Stucco.  Everyone wanted a 4 bedroom, 2+ bath stucco home.  The style was more contemporary and the trend continued on.

However, what we’ve found out about over the years is that stucco buildings have issues. Stucco failure occurs because it is improperly installed, not sealed properly, is poorly made, or there is no drainage. This could cause water intrusion, and worse, mold.

Call a Public Adjuster for Water Intrusion Claims

That’s where a public insurance adjuster comes in.  For Stucco & Water Intrusion Insurance Claims, Clarke & Cohen gets involved as soon as possible.  This way we can manage the claim from the very early stages.

The first thing we see in a stucco claim is some kind of water intrusion in the home. This can happen anywhere in the home, but it is mostly seen around windows, doors, or other openings. Once homeowners see this water intrusion, they will typically call a stucco remediation company and get a stucco report to see where exactly the stucco is failing.

If the stucco is failing because of wear and tear, or it’s failing due to faulty installation, the stucco itself is not going to be covered by insurance.

Damage from Water Intrusion

However, any damage to the interior of the home, insulation, drywall, wall coverings, flooring, cabinetry, etc., due to water intrusion…will be covered as ensuing water damage. Claims filed with the insurance company are with the understanding that the exterior of the home is not going to be paid for, but the interior damage should be covered.

Clarke & Cohen uses a professional building consultant to meet with the insurance company’s consultant. Our consultant estimates the amount of interior damage. Stucco claims are very difficult as they depend on which insurance company a homeowner uses;  some companies are easier than others to go through the process.

Ultimately,  if our public adjusters are involved from the very beginning of the process AND there is visible interior damage on the inside of the home, we are typically successful in recovering money from the insurance company.

Each scenario is unique depending on the damage associated with a stucco claim and the coverage of the insurance policy.

Contact Clarke & Cohen today at info@clarkeandcohen.com with your stucco or water intrusion claim questions.

Rely on Our Best Strategy for Maximum Recovery

Clarke & Cohen, Public Adjusters in Philadelphia,  uses a proven claims process.  This will help expedite our clients’ insurance claims and get the maximum policy payment possible.

The Process to Expedite Insurance Claims includes:

• Contacting the insurance company adjuster and other experts hired by the insurance company. Set up meetings to discuss procedures, advances, loss reserves and policy interpretations.
• Review and analysis of your insurance policy from the perspective of maximizing dollars recovered.
• On-site assessment of building damage and preparation of a detailed unit cost reconstruction estimate, which is necessary in order to maximize the building recovery. Whenever possible, we conduct a joint walk-through with the estimator assigned to the project by the insurance carrier.  This helps to identify our areas of agreement and disagreement.
• Collection and review of all relevant documents relating to furniture, fixtures, equipment and machinery.
  

  We also do the following as part of our process:

• Preparation of a complete inventory of all such contents.
• Application of proper values to all such property, including applicable replacement cost and/or actual cash value, together with the amount of loss and damage claimed for each item.
• Preparation of required appraisals to comply with any coinsurance provisions of the policy.
• Preparation of documentation to project and substantiate business interruption losses, extra expenses, or other similar items.
• Requests for advances necessary to defray ongoing expenses and debt.
• Review of the claim with the insured and/or their advisors prior to providing such materials to the insurance company.
• Presentation of all claim documentation to the insurance company.
• Attendance at meetings with insurance company representative(s) to ensure a controlled, consistent, and professional atmosphere for all parties.
• Periodic status reports to the insured and their advisors.
• With the insured’s consent and approval, preparation of claim settlement documents and follow-up on processing of payments.
• Assistance to the insured’s advisors in providing documentation and testimony, as well as serving as an expert witness, if necessary.
• Preparation of the claim in a proper format to ensure recovery in any possible future litigation involving uninsured claims.

Contact us with any questions or if you would like a consultation with us regarding an insurance claim for property damage.