Hawaii Claim Guides
Plain-language answers for Hawaii property owners — written by the licensed public adjusters at Island Claims. The insurance company knows how this game works. Now you will too.
Sept 2026 · Most RecentHurricane Nolo: West Maui Wind, Kaʻū Flooding & Property Damage Claim Guide
What Nolo actually did island by island, which islands had hurricane watches (it matters for your deductible), what to inspect when your roof still looks fine, Lala vs. Nolo damage, flood vs. wind-driven rain, and business losses.
Sept 2026Storm RecoveryHurricane Lowell: Kauaʻi, Oʻahu & Maui Property Damage & Claim Recovery Guide
What Lowell did island by island, how wind, surge and flood damage get classified, power-outage and business losses, and the pending federal declaration.
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Aug 2026Storm RecoveryHurricane Lala: Property Damage & Claim Recovery Guide
Five weeks after Hawaii’s first hurricane landfall since ʻIniki — 267 homes damaged, a major disaster declaration pending — documentation, food spoilage and business loss claims, wind vs. flood, and what to do now that the first check has arrived.
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Mar 2026Storm RecoveryMarch Kona Low Storms: Flood Damage & Insurance Claim Guide
Six months in: what homeowners, condo, flood and business policies actually cover; flood vs. mudflow vs. wind-driven rain; why Kona Low claims are being denied or underpaid; the deadlines still running; every recovery program still open.
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Start HereThe First 72 Hours After Property Damage in Hawaii
Fire, water, or storm damage just hit. What you do in the first three days shapes your entire claim — here is the step-by-step playbook.
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Start HereWhat Does a Public Adjuster Do in Hawaii — and When Do You Need One?
Three kinds of adjusters touch your claim. Only one works for you. What a Hawaii PA actually does, what it costs, and when it makes sense.
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Start Here“It’s Just a Few Shingles.” Is It, Though?
Minor-looking storm damage often hides real, covered losses. The damage iceberg, the questions to ask yourself, and how to decide with evidence instead of a glance from the driveway.
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Claim HelpMy Claim Was Denied — What Are My Options in Hawaii?
A denial is the insurer’s position, not a verdict. Your six options, in order — and what a properly re-built claim file looks like.
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Claim HelpCan I Cash the Insurance Check? What Accepting Payment Really Means
Usually depositing a check does not close your claim — but the wording matters. What to check before you endorse anything.
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Claim HelpWhat to Expect During an Insurance Inspection (and How to Prepare)
The inspection largely decides your claim’s value. How to prepare, what to watch for, and the red flags of a rushed walkthrough.
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Policy SmartsHurricane Deductibles in Hawaii: The Surprise Most Homeowners Discover Too Late
Since Iniki, Hawaii hurricane coverage lives in a separate policy with a percentage deductible. Know your number before the season does.
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Policy SmartsDepreciation Explained: ACV, Replacement Cost, and Getting Every Dollar You’re Owed
Why the check is smaller than the estimate — and how to recover the depreciation holdback many Hawaii owners never collect.
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Policy SmartsWater Damage Claims in Hawaii Homes: Why They Get Underpaid
Single-wall construction, humidity, salt air, Kona lows — where water claims run short, and the documentation that fixes it.
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Start HereHow to Check a Hawaiʻi Public Adjuster’s License (and Spot Storm Chasers)
Two minutes that protect your claim: how to verify anyone who offers to handle your insurance claim after a storm.
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Policy SmartsFlood or Wind? Which Hawaiʻi Insurance Policy Pays for Storm Water Damage
How the water got in decides who pays. The plain-English way to sort wind, rain, flood and runoff after a Hawaiʻi storm.
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Policy SmartsHurricane Insurance Claims in Hawaiʻi: When You Have a Separate Hurricane Policy
Zephyr, homeowners, flood: how Hawaiʻi’s two- and three-policy storm claims work, and how to keep each one on track.
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Claim HelpRoof Damage Insurance Claims in Hawaiʻi: What Gets Missed and How to Document It
Lifted shingles, loose flashing, salt-air metal roofs: what roof inspections miss, and how to document a full claim.
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Claim HelpInsurance Paid Too Little? How to Challenge an Underpaid Claim in Hawaiʻi
The first check is often not the last. How to find what was missed and ask for more, step by step.
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Policy SmartsCondo Water Damage in Hawaiʻi: HO-6 Policy vs. AOAO Master Policy
Leak from upstairs? How Hawaiʻi condo owners and associations split water damage between the HO-6 and the master policy.
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Claim HelpMold Damage Insurance Claims in Hawaiʻi: When Is Mold Covered?
Mold follows water fast in Hawaiʻi. When it is covered, why claims get capped, and what to document.
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CommercialCommercial Property Insurance in Hawaiʻi: What Your Policy Actually Covers
The building, your business property, causes of loss forms, valuation and the small coverages with big deadlines.
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CommercialThe Coinsurance Penalty: Why a Covered Commercial Claim Can Come Up Short
Underinsured by a little, underpaid by a lot. The formula, a worked example, and how to prevent or question it.
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CommercialOrdinance or Law Coverage for Hawaiʻi Commercial Buildings: Who Pays for Code Upgrades
Rebuilding to today’s code can cost more than the damage. Coverages A, B and C, and how to prove code costs.
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CommercialAOAO Master Policy Claims: A Hawaiʻi Guide for Boards and Managing Agents
What the statute requires, who pays the deductible, hurricane deductibles, and a step-by-step board checklist.
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CommercialAfter a Commercial Property Loss in Hawaiʻi: A 30-Day Checklist for Owners and Property Managers
Day one through day thirty: protect, notify, document, and the deadlines to put on the calendar now.
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CommercialBusiness Income and Interruption Claims After a Hawaiʻi Storm
Closed by storm damage, outages or road closures? How business income claims work and the records that prove them.
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Policy SmartsMudslide, Landslide and Earth Movement: What Hawaiʻi Insurance Covers
Kona low rain brings mud and slides. How homeowners and flood policies treat earth movement, and where coverage can still exist.
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Start HerePublic Adjuster, Attorney or Contractor? Who to Call for a Hawaiʻi Insurance Claim
Four different jobs, often confused. Who does what on a Hawaiʻi property claim, and when to bring each one in.
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Start HereWhat to Say (and Not Say) to the Insurance Adjuster After Hawaiʻi Storm Damage
The adjuster is coming. How to prepare, what to say, and the guesses that can quietly shrink a claim.
Read the Guide →Have a Claim Question These Guides Didn’t Answer?
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