“The adjuster said the hail marks on our roof were old. Verna had an engineer look at it, and the second estimate covered a full replacement.”
Darlene P.Homeowner, Del City
Oklahoma City policyholder lawyer
Your insurer said no. Let's read why.
I'm Verna Loftis. I work only for policyholders: homeowners, landlords and small businesses whose hail, wind or fire claim was denied, stalled or paid short. Leave a name and a number and I'll call you back to talk it through. The first call costs nothing.
- Free first callTalk it through before you decide
- No fee unless you're paidA share of what's recovered
- Call or textWeekdays, 8am to 6pm
- Policyholders onlyNever an insurance company
Under a contingency agreement you may still owe case costs, such as filing fees, engineer inspections and expert reports, whether or not anything is recovered. The written agreement says which.
After a hailstorm
Get the storm claim checklist
One page, by email: the photos to take before a roofer touches anything, the receipts to keep, the dates to find in your policy, and what to say, and not say, when the adjuster calls.
Claims I take
Three kinds of claim, one side of the table
Each case starts with a policy, a loss, and an insurer that paid less than the policy promises.
Hail and wind
Roofs, siding, windows and gutters after a storm, when the adjuster calls the damage old, cosmetic or wear and tear.
Hail and wind claims
Fire and smoke
Homes and shops after a fire, when the contents list gets cut, smoke cleanup is refused or living costs stop early.
Fire and smoke claims
Bad faith
When an insurer won't explain a denial, lets a claim sit for months, or offers far less than its own estimate shows.
Bad faith claims
Who picks up
The lawyer who answers is the one who reads the policy
This is a one-lawyer office. When you call or text, you reach me, and I read the whole policy, the adjuster's estimate and the denial letter before I tell you anything.
If the insurer got it right, I'll say so and you won't owe a thing for the call. If it didn't, I'll tell you what it should have paid and how we'd go after the difference.
Verna Loftis
Attorney
From clients
Said after the claim was settled
“Our smoke claim sat for five months with no answer. A week after her letter, the insurer called us with a number.”
Luis A.Print shop owner
“She told me straight that the fence wasn't worth fighting over, then helped me get the part that was.”
Glenda W.Rental owner, Edmond
Comments from past clients. Every claim turns on its own policy and facts, so what happened in theirs doesn't predict yours.
Questions
Asked on the first call
Short answers. The full list is on the questions page.
Is there a deadline to dispute a denial?
Yes, and it can be short. Your policy sets some dates, the law sets others, and they don't always match. The first thing I do is find them, so call before you assume you have time.
Should I cash the insurer's check?
Often you can cash a payment for the part that isn't in dispute. Don't sign anything called a release or a final settlement until someone has read it, because that can close the claim.
Are you a public adjuster?
No. A public adjuster prices a claim for a share of it. I'm a lawyer: I can read the policy against the law, demand appraisal, and file suit if it comes to that. I often work alongside a contractor or adjuster you already have.
What does a claim review cost?
Most claims are taken on contingency: no fee unless money is recovered, and then a share of it set out in writing. Under a contingency agreement you may still owe case costs, such as filing fees, engineer inspections and expert reports, whether or not anything is recovered. The written agreement says which.
Do you ever work for insurance companies?
No. The office represents policyholders only, so there's never a conflict with the company you're up against.