Florida homeowners buy insurance coverage for their home because — in addition to providing a roof over their heads — it usually represents the single most valuable possession they have. Homeowners insurance policies exist to protect real estate investments and prevent homeowners from losing their homes in the event of an unexpected calamity.

However, what happens if a homeowner’s property suffers damage in a natural disaster, but the insurance company refuses to pay the benefits that are due to the homeowner under the insurance policy? When this happens, the homeowner may need to file a lawsuit to get the benefits to which he or she has a legal right.

In a recent case like this, a Florida homeowner says that she was unlawfully denied a property damage claim for her home. The woman filed her legal complaint in late August, saying that State Farm Florida Insurance Company refused to honor the terms of her insurance policy after her home suffered water damage. The 9th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida suit specifically states that the homeowner was requesting the benefits she had a legal right to under the policy she signed.

Insurance companies are often easy to work with and pay the benefits they owe immediately upon demand. Other times, they are shrewd and attempt to pay as little as they can get away with. If you’re dealing with a difficult insurance company that doesn’t want to pay the benefits you’re owed, you may want to reach out for legal assistance to determine whether you can file a breach of contract claim.