Home / Insurance Disputes Alabama / Commercial Claims

Commercial Property Insurance Claims in Alabama

Helping commercial policyholders in Mobile and throughout the state

At Warhurst Law, attorney Gene Warhurst has been fighting for commercial property owners since 1995 – the year he decided to stop being a claims adjuster for The Hartford, and start representing people who had suffered losses. If your commercial property sustained damaged, Warhurst Law can help. Contact us in Mobile to find out more.

Who we represent

Warhurst Law works on behalf of policyholders in Alabama – and only policyholders. Come talk to us about your needs if your claim has been delayed or denied. We proudly represent clients in claims involving:

Business properties
Investment properties
Multi-family dwellings, such as apartments, condos, nursing homes, and long-term hotels
Warehouses and storage facilities
Brick and mortar stores
Online shops and other e-retail spaces
Farms, both family and industrial

Areas of Focus

Help for commercial property policyholders

Warhurst Law has recovered millions of dollars for commercial policyholders throughout the Southeast. Some of our successes include:

$26 million settlement for an apartment complex previously offered $3 million
$11 million settlement for an apartment complex’s property damage, settled pre-suit
$5.4 million in additional compensation for an apartment complex for wind damage in a storm
$2.37 million in additional funds for a tornado claim
$2.2 million settlement for an A/C business which was originally offered $200,000
$1.3 million settlement for a radio station originally offered $19,000

Our Case Results

$2.4 Million Settlement in Commercial Tornado Claim

Warhurst Law secured $2.2 million in additional recovery for a lumber mill damaged in a tornado.

The various kinds of commercial insurance policies

Businesses should consult with experienced insurance lawyers before making any large investments in time or personnel. Different policies cover different needs. The right policies should cover a wide variety of damage issues. The main types of commercial claims policies are:

Property insurance. This policy should, if worded correctly, protect against fires, hurricanes, theft, vandalism, and any type of damage to your buildings. It should also cover losses such as freestanding structures and landscaping. The insurance should generally allow the owner to rebuild after disaster strikes or to start over at a new location.
Liability insurance. General liability will cover you if someone is hurt on your property; professional liability will cover you if a mistake on your end causes a loss.
Flood insurance. This is a separate policy that may be available in your community. It is backed by the National Flood Insurance program.
Business interruption insurance. This insurance is also normally separate from property insurance. It should provide businesses funds for the income lost when businesses need to stop operating. Experienced Alabama lawyers work with financial professionals to help you properly document your business losses and verify how much you lost.
Comprehensive auto insurance. Any business that owns company cars, trucks, buses, or other vehicles should have this type of policy to pay for the damage to the vehicle – regardless of how the vehicle was damaged.

Companies may need other policies depending on the type of business they do, their financial circumstances, and other factors. For example, most businesses also need liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance.

Additional commercial claims considerations

We coordinate the various claims efforts because some policies depend on payments from other policies. For example, the sooner you can repair your restaurant, gas station, retail store, or other building – the sooner you get back to business.

There may be some overlap between what property insurance covers and what business operation loss covers. For example, in addition to building repair, inventory, fixtures, and other items – property insurance may cover some accounts receivables and other economic losses.

For hotel owners, apartment complexes, investors in condominiums, and other places where tenants sleep, the insurance should consider the consequences to the residents. For any business that leases to other businesses, the coverage should consider what happens to the tenants who are forced to find new places to operate.

Commercial insurance also needs to consider what happens to the continuing bills that need to be paid. These include mortgages, utility bills, insurance, and other essentials.

Nonprofits also need commercial insurance. Churches and other organizations do have bills to pay and they do generate income – even if that income is then used for charitable or nonprofit purposes.

Some of the issues involved in business interruption disputes and commercial property disputes

Our insurance lawyers are ready to resolve the following issues:

Which policies cover which types of damage?
Is there a time limit on the length of coverage?
How are lost profits calculated?
What repairs should be made and by whom?
How are damaged items valued?
Do any exclusions apply?
Is the business entitled to an advance? If so, how much of an advance?

Many other decisions will need to be made that depend on the type of business that was damaged.

Why you want Warhurst Law on your side

The lifeblood of every business is generating revenue. This means selling your inventory, manufacturing products, providing services, and operating the full range of for-profit business activities. Important considerations: If your office, building, or location needs to close down for repairs after floods or any natural disaster or if your inventory, tools, and equipment may be damaged or destroyed too. If you can’t meet with customers, they may go elsewhere. If your information technology system goes down for any length of time, you won’t be able to take orders. Getting back up to speed after a disaster requires skilled legal counsel who understand business interruption insurance and the insurance industry.

This dual knowledge provides a unique edge. This set of skills means our firm can properly value all your damages. We anticipate the arguments insurance companies use to try to deny or reduce your claims such as asserting exclusions or claiming you can’t verity your lost income. We work to obtain advances so your company can get back online, can have a temporary location to meet your client needs, and so you can start the repairs needed to repair any damage and buy replacement goods.

Gene has the experience, the certifications, and the respect that leading firms call on when disasters strike.

Understand your commercial claims rights when Alabama disasters strike

The sooner you speak with an experience business insurance lawyer the better. Early investigation and documentation helps businesses decide what actions they need to take to continue their business. Advances may be possible – but only if the insurance company has all the necessary information. Businesses need to work with a skilled lawyer who understands fully the dynamics of how business stoppage affects all parts of their business. For help now, call us at 251-694-1932 or complete our contact form to schedule an appointment. We represent businesses in Mobile and across Alabama and the Southeast.

* Warhurst Law cannot and does not guarantee an outcome to any case.