“The adjuster counted the carpet and nothing behind the walls. They went room by room with our contractor, and the second number was one we could rebuild on.”
Corey B.Homeowner, flood claim
Insurance claim lawyers
The insurer said no. Your policy may say yes.
Gautreaux & Castille represent homeowners and small landlords whose flood, wind, hail or fire claims were denied, paid short or left to sit. We start with your policy, not with the denial letter.
The first offer, and what came after
Four sample matters, each with what the insurer said at first and what changed.
$52,400 paid
Ground-floor flood, first offer $11,000
The adjuster counted drywall and left out cabinets, flooring and the wiring behind the wall. A room-by-room estimate and a contractor's walk-through moved the number.
2025
Denial withdrawn
Roof torn by wind, blamed on flood
The insurer said rising water caused the roof damage. Weather records and an engineer's letter showed which damage came from which.
2024
$23,750 paid
Kitchen fire, smoke and contents
Smoke cleaning and the contents list had been left out of the first payment. Both went in after a written inventory.
2024
Reinspected, then paid
Hail on a metal roof, closed as cosmetic
A second inspection with the homeowner on the roof found dents the first report had not measured.
2023
These are sample matters, not promises. Every claim turns on its own policy and facts, and past results don't predict the outcome of yours. Dollar figures are what the insurer paid, before fees and costs.
Where a claim goes wrong
Most denials fall into one of four kinds. Each has a page of its own, and its own way of being answered.
Flood, wind and hail
One storm, two policies, and an insurer deciding which kind of water it was.
Read more
What clients wrote down
“I had read the denial a dozen times and still didn't know what it meant. By the end of the first call I knew which sentence to argue with.”
Cecile M.Rental owner, wind claim
“They told me when there was nothing more to push on, and I valued that as much as the good news.”
Jalen D.Homeowner, fire claim
Sample reviews for the owner to replace. Each client's case is different, and what one policyholder received says nothing certain about yours.
The lawyers who read your policy
A partner reads every claim before the firm takes it, and the lawyer you first speak to is the one who stays on it.
Ginette Gautreaux
Founding partner
Reads every new file herself. Handles denied and underpaid claims, appraisals and appeals.
Pascal Castille
Partner
Takes the wind-or-water disputes and the claims that need engineers, weather records and sometimes a courtroom.
Aurelie Savoie
Senior associate
Builds the fire and smoke claims and the dated record behind every bad-faith letter.
Before you call
Short answers to what policyholders ask first.
Can an insurer deny a claim after years of premiums?
Yes. A denial is the insurer's reading of your policy, and it can be wrong. Policies are long, and exclusions come with exceptions the first letter often leaves out. That is why we read the whole policy before the letter.
How long do I have to act?
Your policy and the law set deadlines, and some are short. A few begin on the day of the loss, not the day of the denial. Send us the letter as soon as you have it and we will tell you which dates apply.
What does it cost to hire you?
You pay no fee unless we recover more than the insurer had offered. We advance case costs and are repaid from a recovery; if there is none, you owe neither the fee nor the costs. The fee agreement puts all of it in writing before you sign.
The insurer made an offer. Is it too late to call a lawyer?
No. Calling before you accept or sign a release is better, because a signed release can end the claim. We can tell you quickly whether the offer looks complete.
Will you sue my insurer?
Many claims end with a letter, a reinspection or an appraisal, and no lawsuit. When the insurer will not move, we tell you the next step, what it costs in time, and let you decide.
Read the policy with us
Send the denial letter, or call. A lawyer reads it before anyone calls you back.
We charge no fee unless we recover more than the insurer had offered. The firm advances case costs, such as an engineer's report, and is repaid from a recovery. If there is none, you owe neither the fee nor the costs.