Collier County
Home to the growing city of Naples, Collier County sits between Broward County and Lee County on the gulf side of Florida. According to the last census, the county has a population of approximately 321,000 people. The county boasts a lot of tourism, especially for the city of Naples which is known for its appeal to nature lovers and beach aficionados.
However, Collier County is in Florida so that means the area is a huge target for natural disasters. Tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and sinkholes are a common occurrence in Collier County. Many homeowners and business owners take the extra step to protect their properties with broad insurance policies.
In some cases, these insurance companies aren’t looking out for their policyholders. They may dispute or deny a claim they known is well within the guidelines of the policy to avoid providing full coverage. Fighting and negotiating with them can be exhausting and feel like a losing battle. Thankfully, you have options. If you’ve been having issues filing a claim with your insurance, we encourage you to contact Germain Law Group, P.A..
Insurance Claims Lawyer in Naples, Florida
It might be tempting to resolve your property insurance issues on your own thinking you’ll save money in the end. However, this is actually far from the truth. An insurance lawyer will do everything they can to maximize your coverage by fighting for full compensation. They can do this by hiring new adjusters, analyzing documents related to the claim, finding additional evidence to support said claim, or even re-writing the claim altogether.
Get started with an insurance attorney at Germain Law Group, P.A. by calling our offices at (813) 835-8888. Michael B. Germain has over 10 years of experience representing insurance matters. His past experience as a representative of insurance companies gives him valuable insight into how they may respond. Attorney Germain only represents policyholders now, and he can do the same for you.
Germain Law Group, P.A. accepts clients throughout Naples and the Collier County area including Everglades City, Marco Island, East Naples, Ave Maria, Pelican Bay, Pine Ridge, Chokoloskee, Golden Gate, Goodland, Island Walk, Lely, and Orangetree.
Information Center:
- Why Should I Hire an Insurance Attorney in FL?
- Collier County Insurance Resources
- Collier County Homeowners Insurance
- Civil Litigation Matters We Handle
Why Should I Hire an Insurance Attorney in Florida?
It’s no secret insurance isn’t always the most straight forward process and can the specifics of the policy can sometimes be difficult to understand. This gap of knowledge can be quite detrimental to the policyholder as they aren’t aware of their rights. Some insurance companies may take advantage of this power imbalance by misrepresenting facts or using other tactics to deny full or partial coverage for your claim.
An insurance attorney can ensure you’re not being “duped” by your insurance company. They understand that insurance companies are legally bound to act in good faith under Florida law when investigating, processing, and settling a claim. Using that knowledge, and Collier County insurance lawyer can assess if your insurer is acting in what we call “bad faith.”
The term “bad faith” simply means the insurance company is failing to fulfill their legal or contractual obligations by intentionally being unfair or dishonest. Under the Florida Unfair Insurance Trade Practices act, the following are a list of actions that would be considered bad faith under Florida law.
- Misrepresenting facts to the policyholder intending to offer a lesser settlement
- Failing to offer a reasonable explanation in writing for why a claim was denied or partially paid
- Failing to notify the policyholder of any information needed to analyze or investigate the claim or failing to explain why that information is needed
- Failing to communicate in a timely manner
- Settle or pay a claim that was altered without the policyholder’s knowledge or consent
- Failing to investigate the claim in a timely manner or denying an investigation
If your insurer is breaching their contract by acting in bad faith, your attorney can file a lawsuit against them for damages. From there, you and your attorney can pursue full compensation as well as damages for your insurance company’s harmful actions.
Insurance and Court Resources in Collier County, FL
20th Judicial Circuit | Collier County Courthouse– Visit the official website for the 20th Judicial Circuit in Florida and the Collier County courthouse. Access the site to find answers to frequently asked questions, resources for filing a court case, rules for the court, who the current judges for the court are, and other related information.
Collier County Clerk | Crystal Kinzel – Visit the official website for the Collier County clerk, Crystal K. Kinzel, to learn more about your options at the clerk’s office. Access the site to use their online services, look up court records, look up a tax deed auction, file something online, and report insurance fraud.
Florida’s Insurance Code – Visit the official website for Online Sunshine, a collection of Florida’s laws and legislation about insurance and insurance company regulations. Access the site to learn about civil remedies under the code, what is defined as a bad faith practice, and more related information regarding insurance.
Florida Homeowners Insurance Average in Collier County, FL
Home Values in Collier County, FL | % of Total | Avg Rate for Homeowner’s Insurance |
Less than $50,000 | 6.0% | $99 |
$50,000 to $59,999 | 1.0% | $223 |
$60,000 to $69,999 | 2.0% | $284 |
$70,000 to $79,999 | 2.0% | $322 |
$80,000 to $89,999 | 3.0% | $371 |
$90,000 to $99,999 | 2.0% | $408 |
$100,000 to $124,999 | 9.0% | $483 |
$125,000 to $149,999 | 6.0% | $594 |
$150,000 to $174,999 | 10.0% | $706 |
$175,000 to $199,999 | 6.0% | $817 |
$200,000 to $249,999 | 14.0% | $991 |
$250,000 to $299,999 | 13.0% | $1214 |
$300,000 to $399,999 | 19.0% | $1536 |
Cities We Serve in Collier County, FL
- Everglades
- Naples
- Marco Island
- Ave Maria
- Lely
- Naples Manor
- Naples Park
- Pelican Bay
- Pine Ridge
- Plantation Island
- Vineyards
- Winding Cypress
- Pelican Marsh
- Verona Walk
- Goodland
- Berkshire Lakes
- Chokoloskee
- Golden Gate
- Heritage Bay
Property Claims Attorney in Collier County, FL
Has your insurance company denied or dispute your claim dispute the fact it’s covered under your policy? Call Germain Law Group, P.A. at (813) 835-8888 to set up your first consultation with insurance lawyer Michael B. Germain.
Germain Law Group, P.A. accepts clients throughout the greater Collier County area and surrounding areas including Broward County, Miami-Dade County, Monroe County, and throughout the state of Florida.