On June 16, 2025, powerful storms hit the Brainerd area. On June 21, 2025, winds of up to 70 miles per hour hit the area. On June 24, 2025, severe thunderstorms with winds exceeding 50 mph caused damage. Then on July 12, 2025, a weather station near Brainerd recorded wind gusts at 65 miles per hour. Mother nature threw a lot at the Brainerd area the summer.
The 2025 storms have generated many insurance claims. Not all property owners are pleased with the resulting adjustment. The following is an overview of what insured property owners can do about their storm claims.
The first step is to determine how long a property owner has to pursue an insurance claim. The deadline is often referred to as the statute of limitations. Once the statute limitation expires the insurance claim ends with finality. Many property owners and their contractors are surprised that these policies state a deadline as short as one year. Some insurer policies carry a two-year statute of limitations. The first thing for a property owner to do is get a certified copy of the policy to see what it says about the statute of limitations. I recommend property owners send their agent or broker an email requesting a certified copy of the policy.
The second step is for a property owner to determine what he or she believes is the scope of repair and its cost. While insurance companies have an obligation to review the damage and adjust the claim, property owners also need to take a position. They should not simply rely on what an adjuster thinks may be the scope of repair. Insurers and insured property owners often differ on the proper scope of repair. A property owner should consult an experienced contractor or public adjuster to better understand the scope of damage and the cost to repair it. Then, that assessment should be presented to the insurance company for its reaction.
There are two paths to resolving a disagreement on the scope of loss. One path is called appraisal, which is a process that looks like arbitration. Most people think of appraisal as hiring a person to value real estate. In this context, it means valuing the cost of repair. Minnesota state law requires insurance policies that encompass the peril of fire and hail to resolve those claims in appraisal. An overview of this process is found here.
Recently some insurance companies have written exceptions to the appraisal clause. Many insurance policies state that wind claims must be pursued in court rather than appraised. The only way to know whether your wind claim will go to court, or be appraised, is to look at the terms of your insurance policy.
E-mail me should you need any assistance in navigating you insurance claims. My e-mail address is: ed@beckmannlawfirm.com.