The Winter of 2014-15 and Ice Dam Issues Cause Unnecessary Headaches and Delays for Homeowners Seeking Repairs and Reimbursement for Damages

Since the first winter storm hit Boston in January, the city experienced a record six feet of snowfall during a 30-day period – breaking the previous record of 58.5 inches, set in 1978. As a result of this historic snowfall, homeowners continue to feel the negative impact of these storms on their homes and in their wallets.

One of the more common problems homeowners have experienced is the presence of ice dams on their roofs and in their gutters which in turn cause extensive water damage throughout their homes. Unfortunately, when homeowners turn to their insurance companies to help them with the cost of repairs, they are often met with unreturned phone calls, incomplete appraisals of the damages sustained and layers of insurance double speak when trying to get a reimbursement check.

The reason homeowners are not receiving the attention their claims deserve and are having great difficulty obtaining reimbursement are well known. First, due to the large increase in ice dam claims, insurance companies have had to take adjusters who ordinarily handle different types of claims and assign them to ice damn claims. This results in claims being handled by persons who lack the necessary experience to handle the claim efficiently and effectively. Second, ice dam claims can become complicated to diagnose as often the harm from the ice dam on an outside gutter is found under a roof or inside a wall where electrical and other systems are located. What sometimes begins as a leaky roof claim, therefore, can explode into a major home renovation project involving electrical systems, drywall, flooring and other vital components of a home. Homeowners’ insurance companies are reluctant to reimburse people for all of the harm they suffer. The insurance companies live by one simple rule: the longer they can hold onto the money you paid them in premiums before paying a legitimate claim, the more money they make off of their investments.

It is important that homeowners have their ice dam claims dealt with quickly and thoroughly to ensure that they receive the reimbursement they need to cover out of pocket losses, including hotel costs when people are removed from their homes to make repairs, and before further damage is done to their homes.

The lawyers at HBMHlaw have the experience in dealing with unfair insurance companies and with ice dam claims in particular. Should you have a question about your insurance claim, please contact the lawyers at HBMHlaw at (508) 626-8500.