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First-Party Property Insurance Disputes

Every Type of 
Insurance Dispute

Drake Insurance Law handles the full landscape of first-party insurance claims in Colorado — from the moment a carrier lowballs a scope to the final payment of a fully enforced judgment.
Exclusive Focus

First-Party Property
Insurance, Only

100%
Policyholder Side
20+
Years Experience
CO · MN
Licensed States
Drake Insurance Law focuses exclusively on first-party property insurance disputes affecting Colorado property owners and contractors. We don't handle auto accidents, workers' comp, or personal injury — we handle the full spectrum of property insurance disputes, and only those.

Insurance claim disputes frequently involve complex policy language, contractor scopes, and building code issues. We evaluate claims, interpret policies, and pursue the full benefits owed — through negotiation, appraisal, and litigation when necessary.

Most clients come to us after exhausting other options: after a denial letter, after a lowball offer, after an adjuster who stopped returning calls. That's where we begin.
What We Handle

Nine Core Practice Areas

Each case type has its own tactics, policy language, and Colorado case law. Here's how we approach each one.
Underpaid Claims

Underpaid Insurance Claims

Insurance companies frequently undervalue property damage — missing line items, applying incorrect unit pricing, failing to account for code upgrades, or ignoring hidden damage. We calculate the true value of your loss and pursue the full amount owed under your policy.
Scope of loss reviewReplacement cost analysisHidden damage discoverySupplement claims
Red Flags
Missing line items.
The estimate skips whole systems — flashing, underlayment, drywall backing.
Depreciation overreach.
Materials depreciated far beyond their actual condition or age.
Claim Denials

Claim Denial Disputes

A denial letter isn't the final word. Carriers deny claims for reasons that often don't hold up to scrutiny — misapplied exclusions, incomplete investigations, or interpretations that contradict the policy's plain language. We evaluate whether your insurer properly investigated and interpreted your policy.
Policy interpretationExclusion analysisInvestigation reviewCoverage litigation
Red Flags
Vague denial basis.
The letter cites a policy section but not why it applies.
Rushed investigation.
The adjuster visited once and denied within a week.
Bad Faith

Insurance Bad Faith Litigation

Colorado law requires insurers to act reasonably when investigating and paying claims. When they don't — when they delay without cause, fail to investigate, or unreasonably deny coverage — policyholders may have remedies beyond the policy limits, including attorney's fees, penalties, and in some cases double damages under C.R.S. § 10-3-1115/1116.
C.R.S. § 10-3-1115/1116Common law bad faithUnreasonable delayStatutory damages
Red Flags
Months of silence.
No substantive response despite repeated follow-up.
Moving goalposts.
Each requested document triggers a new, unrelated request.
Appraisal

Insurance Appraisal Representation

Most policies include an appraisal clause that lets either side invoke a binding process to resolve disputes over the amount of loss — without going to court. We represent policyholders through appraiser selection, umpire negotiation, and scope submissions. Appraisal is a tool: the right one for pure valuation disputes, the wrong one when coverage itself is contested.
Appraiser selectionScope submissionsUmpire proceedingsAward enforcement
Red Flags
Carrier-picked "neutral."
The insurer steers you toward an appraiser they've used before.
Coverage dressed as valuation.
Real dispute is what's covered — appraisal is the wrong venue.
Hail & Roof Damage

Hail & Storm Damage Claims

Colorado's storm climate makes hail damage among the most disputed property claims in the state. Carriers routinely underscope roof replacement, deny cosmetic damage to metal, limit matching for siding, and apply "wear and tear" exclusions to clearly storm-related damage. We know every tactic — and how to counter it.
Roof replacement scopeMatching & uniformityCosmetic vs functionalWind + hail claims
Red Flags
"Repair only" on a roof.
Partial repair when a full replacement is warranted.
Matching ignored.
Colorado law on matching and uniformity is misapplied.
Fire Damage

Fire Damage Claims

Fire losses involve layered coverage: dwelling, other structures, personal property (contents), additional living expenses (ALE), and smoke/soot damage. Each category has its own valuation traps. We represent policyholders through the full claim — from the initial scope through every supplement and ALE extension.
Dwelling coverageContents inventoryALE enforcementSmoke & soot damage
Red Flags
ALE cut short.
Living expenses terminated before the home is habitable.
Contents lowballed.
Depreciation applied without a proper inventory.
Water Damage

Water Damage Claims

Water losses are complicated by exclusions — flood, ground water, seepage, long-term leaks — and by cause-of-loss disputes. Insurers frequently reclassify sudden events as gradual, triggering exclusions. Policy interpretation and prompt documentation are decisive. We step in to clarify coverage and enforce your rights.
Sudden vs gradualMold coverageFrozen pipesBackup of sewer
Red Flags
Sudden reclassified as gradual.
Carrier blames a "long-term leak" with no evidence.
Mold exclusion abuse.
Treated as a cap even on covered water perils.
Ordinance & Law

Ordinance & Law Coverage

Building codes often require upgrades during permitted repairs — ice & water shield, code-compliant framing, modern electrical. Ordinance and law coverage exists precisely to pay for these upgrades. Carriers routinely ignore or refuse to pay this coverage. We make sure your insurer pays what the ordinance-and-law endorsement actually owes.
Code upgradesPermit requirementsCoverage A vs B vs CDemolition costs
Red Flags
Code items excluded entirely.
Adjuster treats upgrades as not recoverable.
Sub-limits misapplied.
Carrier caps at 10% when actual endorsement is higher.
Commercial Claims

Commercial Property Claims

Businesses rely on their coverage after a loss — business income, extra expense, ingress/egress, civil authority, and equipment breakdown. Commercial policies are more complex than residential, and so are the disputes. We represent Colorado commercial policyholders in coverage, valuation, and business interruption claims.
Business incomeExtra expenseEquipment breakdownIngress/egress
Red Flags
Business income narrowly scoped.
Only a fraction of the period of restoration honored.
Extra expense rejected.
Costs to mitigate loss treated as not covered.
Our Approach

Three Ways We Win

Most files move through these phases. Some settle at the first, some require all three. We prepare for all of them from day one.
N

Negotiation

A clear demand letter backed by policy language and a line-item scope review often resolves the dispute before anything formal. Carriers settle harder when they see a file that's ready to escalate.
A

Appraisal

When the dispute is purely about the amount of loss, the appraisal clause resolves it without a lawsuit. We represent you through appraiser selection, umpire proceedings, and the binding award that follows.
L

Litigation

When negotiation and appraisal don't fit — because coverage itself is denied, or because bad faith is on the table — we file suit. Colorado statutory bad faith remedies make a well-built lawsuit a powerful tool.
For Policyholders

Property Owners & HOAs

Homeowners, homeowners associations, rental owners, and commercial property owners across Colorado — anyone whose insurance carrier has denied, delayed, or underpaid a legitimate claim.
Single-family residences
HOAs and condominium associations
Rental and investment properties
Commercial buildings
Banking institutions and lenders
Schedule a Free Consultation →
For Contractors

Colorado Restoration Contractors

Roofers, restoration companies, and general contractors whose legitimate scopes and invoices are being disputed by insurance carriers. We speak the adjuster's language — and the law.
Scope disagreements with carriers
Code upgrade (ordinance & law) disputes
Pricing and labor rate disagreements
Appraisal participation and guidance
Assignment of benefits questions
Download Contractor Toolkit  →
Get Started Today

Not Sure Where
Your Claim Fits

Most insurance disputes don't fit neatly into one box. Describe your situation in the free consultation and we'll tell you exactly where it lands — and whether we can help.
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