Insurance Restoration Process in Oakland Park, FL

You discover property damage -- a burst cast-iron drain in your North Andrews Gardens home, hurricane wind tearing through your Lloyd Estates barrel tile roof, or HVAC condensate flooding your ceiling at Lake Emerald condo. Call Palm Build at (754) 600-3369 and your insurance carrier simultaneously. Under Florida Statute 627.70132, you must report property damage within 1 year of the date of loss. Your policy also requires immediate mitigation. In Oakland Park's year-round South Florida humidity, 24 hours of standing water creates mold conditions.

Before any cleanup begins, Palm Build's IICRC-certified technicians document every affected area with comprehensive photography, thermal imaging, and moisture mapping. We classify damage by cause -- critical in Oakland Park where wind damage (homeowners policy), Middle River canal flooding (separate NFIP or private flood policy), HVAC condensate failure, and pipe burst must be documented separately for proper coverage determination.

Your insurance carrier is notified and a claim is opened. We provide initial damage documentation to establish the scope. Under Florida's post-AOB elimination (SB 2A, January 2023), you remain the policyholder directing the claim -- Palm Build works for you, not through an AOB assignment. For hurricane losses, the 'date of loss' is the NOAA verification date, not your personal discovery date.

Emergency mitigation runs parallel to documentation: water extraction with truck-mounted equipment, structural drying with dehumidifiers calibrated for South Florida's high ambient humidity, board-up and tarping for wind damage, or fire debris clearing. Daily drying logs begin immediately -- these data-logged moisture readings justify equipment placement and timeline to adjusters.

Your carrier assigns a field adjuster. Under Florida Statute 627.70131, the insurer must begin investigation within 14 days and provide a coverage determination within 60 days. We coordinate the inspection, walk the property with the adjuster, and provide our complete documentation package including thermal imaging, moisture maps, and our Xactimate estimate using localized Broward County pricing.

The adjuster reviews our documentation against their own inspection. Any discrepancies are addressed through direct adjuster communication -- we present our Xactimate line items alongside theirs and resolve differences with photographic and scientific evidence. For Oakland Park homes with 1970s CBS construction, barrel tile roofing, and canal-adjacent foundations, proper material pricing is critical.

Once the scope is approved, full restoration begins. Throughout reconstruction, we document progress at every milestone -- demolition, rough-in, City of Oakland Park Building Division inspections, and finish work. This ongoing documentation supports supplement requests for hidden damage discovered during demolition and provides your carrier evidence that the approved scope is being executed correctly.

The majority of Oakland Park restoration projects require at least one supplement for hidden damage discovered during demolition -- moisture behind CBS stucco walls, aging cast-iron drain failures under slabs, mold in concealed cavities. Palm Build documents supplemental damage within 48 hours of discovery and submits with photos, moisture data, and updated Xactimate line items. Florida's 18-month supplemental claim deadline applies.

Final walkthrough confirms every scope item has been completed. A completion certificate is provided to your carrier along with final photos, City of Oakland Park Building Division inspection records, and a summary of all work performed. Your carrier releases final payment including recoverable depreciation holdback upon verified completion. NFIP flood claims require a separate 60-day proof of loss, which we prepare on your behalf.