Where can I find infomation on insurance (full coverage) liability, post hurricane? My car was a total loss due to flooding.  The blue book value is $7000.00; my insurance wants to pay $3500.00, leaving me with a loan to pay. Where can I get help?  Who do I contact?

Answer:

You've got a few options:

1. If you have pictures of your car before the flooding, you should be able to document that it was worth more money. If in addition to pictures, you also have copies of your car's repair history, that helps considerably. However, since this is post hurricane, I'm presuming your records could be in as much disrepair as your car.

2. Contact your state's department of insurance, and see if they can help you. If they can't help you directly, they may be able to refer you to someone who can. At the very least, you can file a complaint with the Department of Insurance regarding your insurer and the treatment you've received.

3. Take the legal route and contact a lawyer. Unfortunately, in this instance, despite the fact that your insurer is suppose to be providing you with a service, they are not. A lawyer might be the right choice. You'll have to decide if the cost of the lawyer is worth it, given the amount of money that you are out. You could also try small claims court, and try to get an award from a judge. In small claims court you can reasonably represent yourself.