Author Archives: Jay Butchko
What to Do When Your Homeowners’ Insurance Claim is Denied in Florida?
If you carry homeowners’ insurance, you probably expect your insurer to pay for any covered damages to your property, including fire, theft, wind, flood, and others. However, you may be surprised to find out that your homeowners’ insurance claim has been denied. What should you do when your insurance company denies your homeowners’ insurance… Read More »
5 Tips to Maximize Your Hurricane Insurance Claim Settlement in Florida
The State of Florida is no stranger to hurricanes that leave behind a path of destruction. Catastrophic storm surges and extreme winds and flooding can cause millions or billions of dollars in property damage. If you are a homeowner who has suffered extensive property damage due to a hurricane, there are things you can… Read More »
How to Resolve Disputes Over Yard Signs Between Homeowners and HOAs?
Many homeowners choose to put signs in their yards to express their political views or opinions on controversial issues. While the U.S. Constitution protects freedom of speech, homeowners who display or place controversial yard signs in their yard may get into disputes with their homeowners’ associations (HOAs). Who’s Right in Yard Sign Disputes Between… Read More »
What is Covered Under Business Interruption Insurance in Florida?
If you are like most business owners, you will do all it takes to protect your business at all costs. However, under certain circumstances, you may be unable to protect your business from unexpected events such as a natural disaster or pandemic. Every business owner must consider purchasing business interruption insurance to protect their… Read More »
Can a Homeowners’ Association (HOA) Deny a Potential Buyer or Renter in Florida?
The board of directors of a Homeowners’ Association (HOA) is elected by the residents of the community. An HOA is a governing body that makes and enforces many rules that impact the entire community. One of the HOA’s duties is to protect the value of its residents’ homes. But what about denying buyers or… Read More »
5 Things to Avoid During the Hurricane Insurance Claims Process in Florida
Florida is no stranger to hurricanes and storms, especially during the months of September and October. Unsurprisingly, Florida is also the third most expensive state for homeowners’ insurance coverage. According to Insurance.com, Florida’s average home insurance rate is nearly $1,338 higher than the national average. Just because your homeowners’ insurance policy covers damages caused… Read More »
Can You Stop Paying Rent if Your Landlord Fails to Make Repairs?
If your landlord fails to make necessary repairs or violates housing codes, you may be thinking about stopping to pay rent. But are you legally allowed to do that in Florida without facing an eviction notice? What Are the Obligations and Duties of Your Landlord? In Florida, landlords are legally required to comply with… Read More »
Important Topics Divorcing Couples Often Forget to Address in Their Settlements
Whether divorces are amicable or contentious, divorce settlements that are drafted and finalized too quickly could be missing some crucial issues, especially if a couple shares children. This is especially important if one parent is the primary residential parent and, as a result, may incur extra costs and could end up being on the… Read More »
Choosing & Protecting Your Child’s College Savings Account During & After Divorce
As family law attorneys who practice here in Florida, an increasingly common issue that we deal with when it comes to divorcing spouses is addressing custodial and 529 accounts. Even when a divorce is amicable, problems can still arise with respect to budgeting for a shared child’s college plans. 529 accounts allow people to… Read More »
Ban On Foreclosures Extended Until 2021, Protecting More than Eight Million People
In late August, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) extended the ban on evictions and foreclosures until 2021, protecting more than eight million homeowners with single-family mortgages. The agency had previously only extended loan forgiveness on single family home mortgages that were insured and backed by the Federal Housing Administration through the… Read More »
