Tips from the Restoration Industry Association for Restoration Contractors in Florida Arising from Hurricane Idalia

August 30, 2023
Tips from the Restoration Industry Association for Restoration Contractors in Florida Arising from Hurricane Idalia 

 

Disclaimer
The following information has been developed to assist restoration contractors who are responding to Hurricane Idalia. All users of this information are encouraged to refer to applicable federal, state/provincial, and local authorities having jurisdiction over the subjects addressed within this document. The RIA makes no representation or warranty as to, and is not responsible for, the accuracy, or validity of the information, or its application by any recipient of this document. The authors do not warrant that the information in this document is free of errors and the entire risk of the use of any information in this publication is assumed by the user. Feedback related to the following information is welcome and can be submitted to Kristy Cohen, CEO at kcohen@restorationindustry.org so that we may update and amend this document moving forward.

The Restoration Industry Association stands with its members who may have experienced personal and professional challenges arising from Hurricane Idalia.  We also recognize that clean-up, restoration, and rebuilding will take time and want to assure our members that the RIA will be with you every step of the way. 

We realize that many of our members are still impacted from Hurricane Ian which struck farther south down the gulf coast in September 2022.  Based on information provided by the State of Florida, approximately 12% of the insurance claims submitted for Hurricane Ian remain open as of July 31, 2023.  Of the total closed claims approximately 30% or 200,000 claims were closed by the insurance company without payment.  Please keep this in mind as you move forward with restoration efforts from Hurricane Idalia. 

  1.  Work that was ongoing at the time of the storm. In counties that were declared Federal Disaster areas construction contracts with completion dates, work permits etc. that were either ongoing or set to begin at or around the time of the storm are automatically extended by 6 months.  Based on the degree of damage it is most likely this will also be extended.  If there is a valid Assignment of Benefits be prepared to prove the completion of work as of the date of the storm, especially if the storm caused additional damage to the property you were doing work at. 
  2. Insurance coverage is not guaranteed, especially in cases where there was a combination of flooding, tidal wave action and wind either combined with or not with rain damage. 
  3. Conversely, there may be cases where there is more than one insurance policy that may be applicable.  Because of this…
  4. Be especially careful when utilizing AOB’s because they may not be enforceable, and you may not have recourse to collect from the property owner. 
  5. Unless you are a licensed public adjuster or attorney do not make any assurances to a potential customer regarding any insurance coverage.
  6. Because of questionable insurance coverage it is important to include provisions in your repair contract with the property owner to ensure that you are paid for the work that you do. 
  7. Florida has specific rules regarding the solicitation of roof repairs.  If your repair contract includes any real or potential roof repairs, you should include a provision indicating that the work was not solicited. 
  8. If you do any clean up, drying, demo and/or repair of properties that had flood water or other water that should be treated as if it was flood water make sure to comply with all OSHA and IICRC requirements.  If you are not already familiar with the IICRC S500 and S520 recommendations, you should do so immediately to not inadvertently violate proper repair processes.  In most cases these damages will be Category 3 water damage and therefore most likely contain hazardous substances.  Document your daily work logs and take photos to prove your compliance. 
  9. Your repair contract should include an estimated cost of repairs and the method in which your estimate was/will be prepared (Time and Material, Xactimate, Claims Connect, home-grown program). 
  10. The actual costs will probably change between the time you prepare your estimate and the time you begin/end your repairs so make sure your contract includes the necessary provisions and that you obtain any and all change orders prior to the job completion. 
  11. If you plan to do restoration/construction work in Florida and do not have a valid Florida license check with the counties you plan on doing work to verify you comply with its requirements for a temporary license. 
  12. Mold remediation is licensed in Florida to an individual technician.  Also, Florida law requires that the person or entity that tests for any mold cannot be the same person or entity that removes the mold. 
  13. Many of the properties damaged in Florida should be tested for asbestos.  Florida also requires specific licenses for contractors to remove and dispose of asbestos. 
  14. Remember – your cost of doing business will be higher because of Hurricane Idalia and your collection time for bills and invoices will be longer.  While you may be able to recoup some of your additional expenses on certain commercial projects you will be challenged on residential repairs.  As mentioned above, 30% of the insurance claims submitted for Hurricane Ian went unpaid by the insurance company. Proper paperwork, computer storage, photos and videos will be necessary to ensure your business successfully navigates repairs from Hurricane Ian.