Callahan & Blaine

Orange County, California residents are no strangers to insurance claims arising from natural disasters. Landslides, wild fires and earthquakes all too frequently wreak havoc on people’s lives – and their property. And while insurance companies don’t require home and business owners to file claims immediately after a disaster strikes, it’s not a good idea to put off filing your claims.

For starters, it’s a good idea to keep your insurance documents someplace where they will be easy to grab should you have to evacuate your home or business. If you do suffer damage, contact your insurance company as soon as you realize there has been damage, and find out what the deadline is for filing a claim.

According to Mike Barry, vice president of media relations for the Insurance Information Institute, “Insurance companies understand you have to find a place to live and make sure family is safe and make sure they’re settled, but there can be a time limit on filing claims, and it’s important to call the insurance company as soon as you know there is damage.”

When you contact your insurance company, ask about what is covered by your policy, including reimbursement for living expenses when you have to evacuate your home, or the costs of opening up a temporary office. Then be sure to keep your receipts.

If you follow all the rules and your insurance company denies your claim, make sure you defend your rights. As a litigation firm with a national reputation for aggressively litigating and consistently winning complex multi-million dollar cases, Callahan & Blain has developed an expertise in going after the insurance companies – and making them pay. In a similar case, our attorneys were able to obtain $800,000 in coverage for a client who had been denied coverage for claims arising from the Northridge earthquakes.

If your insurance claim has been denied, contact the lawyers of Callahan& Blaine for expert legal assistance.