WEATHER ALERT
Florida official warns Hurricane Milton victims about scammers posing as FEMA workers
Read full article: Florida official warns Hurricane Milton victims about scammers posing as FEMA workersThe emergency management chief of the Florida county where Hurricane Milton made landfall earlier this month is warning about reports of scammers who are posing as Federal Emergency Management Agency officials and trying to get financial information from the storm’s victims.
In Hurricane Milton’s path in Florida? Do this now before you need to file an insurance claim
Read full article: In Hurricane Milton’s path in Florida? Do this now before you need to file an insurance claimPreparing for a hurricane involves removing patio furniture, preparing windows and building a hurricane kit. You should also prepare to file an insurance claim too, just in case.
People selling homes in Florida must disclose past flooding issues under new law
Read full article: People selling homes in Florida must disclose past flooding issues under new lawThis includes providing buyers with filed insurance claims related to flood damage and disclosing whether federal assistance was given due to flooding.
Wildfires on the rise: Florida has 2nd-highest risk in the nation. Here’s how to prep financially
Read full article: Wildfires on the rise: Florida has 2nd-highest risk in the nation. Here’s how to prep financiallyIn terms of financial risk, the study shows that Florida has the second highest fire risk in the country, with losses expected to reach $269 million.
Florida lawmakers struggle to curb roofing fraud in insurance market
Read full article: Florida lawmakers struggle to curb roofing fraud in insurance marketCora Hayes and her husband had just replaced the roof on their Ocala home when she says they were approached by an employee from another roofing company.
Florida regulators eye Citizens Insurance rate hikes to match market
Read full article: Florida regulators eye Citizens Insurance rate hikes to match marketFlorida regulators Thursday dug into a proposal that would lead to double-digit rate increases for customers of Citizens Property Insurance Corp., as the state insurer of last resort continues trying to push policies into the private market.
‘Adding a city:’ Millions more could flock to Florida. Here’s when to expect it
Read full article: ‘Adding a city:’ Millions more could flock to Florida. Here’s when to expect itThe most recent estimates indicate that Florida will gain enough people each year to fill a city nearly the size of Orlando.
Citizens’ reinsurance tab reaches $482M amid hurricane season in Florida
Read full article: Citizens’ reinsurance tab reaches $482M amid hurricane season in FloridaThe state’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp. has purchased $3.564 billion in reinsurance coverage — at a cost of $482 million — to serve as a backstop for paying claims during this year’s hurricane season.
Reinsurance picture improves for Florida amid hurricane season
Read full article: Reinsurance picture improves for Florida amid hurricane seasonAs Florida gets ready to enter the thick of hurricane season, property insurers have seen improvements in the market for reinsurance — critical backup coverage that helps drive how much homeowners pay in premiums.
My Safe Florida Home now accepting applications for hurricane-related home improvements
Read full article: My Safe Florida Home now accepting applications for hurricane-related home improvementsMy Safe Florida Home is about to begin accepting applications for inspections that could lead to state-matched grants to help homeowners pay for resiliency projects in the face of another hurricane season.
Progressive dropping 100,000 home insurance policies in Florida. Here are the details
Read full article: Progressive dropping 100,000 home insurance policies in Florida. Here are the detailsIn the middle of what’s being called a “property insurance crisis” in Florida, several local homeowners said their policies are being dropped by Progressive, one of the biggest property insurance companies in the country.
Florida’s Citizens Insurance faces U.S. Senate questions
Read full article: Florida’s Citizens Insurance faces U.S. Senate questionsSeizing on a comment by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee has ratcheted up a request for financial information about Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
Why Florida’s car insurance premiums are the most expensive in the US
Read full article: Why Florida’s car insurance premiums are the most expensive in the USAuto insurance premiums increased an average of 20% nationally as of December of last year, the largest annual national increase since 1976, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In Florida, it’s worse.
‘Home hardening’ pays off for Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis
Read full article: ‘Home hardening’ pays off for Florida CFO Jimmy PatronisFlorida CFO Jimmy Patronis said recommended “home hardening” recommendations provided by the My Safe Florida Home program saved him a bundle in his annual home insurance premium.
Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis wants to ‘right size’ insurance consumer services
Read full article: Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis wants to ‘right size’ insurance consumer servicesFlorida’s chief financial officer is asking the state legislature for more money to increase the size of the division that helps Floridians with insurance issues.
More than 90K policies move from Citizens to private insurers in ‘depopulation’ push
Read full article: More than 90K policies move from Citizens to private insurers in ‘depopulation’ pushFor the second month in a row, private insurers have taken more than 90,000 policies from the state’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
Your Florida Daily: Citizens Insurance deadline, vigil held in Volusia after Hamas attacks in Israel
Read full article: Your Florida Daily: Citizens Insurance deadline, vigil held in Volusia after Hamas attacks in IsraelThe fighting between Israeli forces and the Palestinian terror group Hamas is having a polarizing effect in Florida, bringing out supporters on both sides.
Citizens Insurance presents double-digit rate hike proposal at Board of Governors meeting
Read full article: Citizens Insurance presents double-digit rate hike proposal at Board of Governors meetingThe Citizens Board of Governors on Wednesday morning will hear a proposal for double-digit rate hikes, set to be in place by year’s end.
🚗Car insurance costs are rising: Here’s why and what you can do
Read full article: 🚗Car insurance costs are rising: Here’s why and what you can doAmid a leveling off of new and used vehicle costs, rising car insurance costs have caused a flat tire for drivers hoping for relief from the financial pressure of driving.
Florida, other states want flood insurance fight to continue
Read full article: Florida, other states want flood insurance fight to continueFlorida and other states are trying to fend off an attempt by the Biden administration to end a lawsuit challenging changes to the National Flood Insurance Program that have led to higher premiums for many property owners.
Insurers OK’d to take Citizens policies in Florida
Read full article: Insurers OK’d to take Citizens policies in FloridaAs efforts continued to sort out damage from Hurricane Idalia, regulators on Friday approved proposals by seven private insurers to pull as many as 202,000 policies from the state’s Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
President of Security First Insurance Company offers tips for Florida home insurance customers
Read full article: President of Security First Insurance Company offers tips for Florida home insurance customersMelissa DeVriese, President, Security First Insurance Company in Ormond beach sat down with News 6 investigator Mike Holfeld to talk about the role insurance companies will play to answer the call for coverage and what policy holders need to know.
Former Florida assistant insurance commissioner urges residents not take Idalia for granted
Read full article: Former Florida assistant insurance commissioner urges residents not take Idalia for grantedLisa Miller, former assistant insurance commissioner for the state of Florida under Gov. Jeb Bush, sat down with News 6 to offer safety and insurance advice in the wake of Idalia’s imminent landfall.
Private insurers OK’d to take over Citizens policies
Read full article: Private insurers OK’d to take over Citizens policiesAs homeowners continue piling into the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp., regulators this week approved proposals that could lead to private insurers pulling as many as 184,000 policies from Citizens starting in October.
Here’s what to know as Farmers Insurance begins withdrawal from Florida
Read full article: Here’s what to know as Farmers Insurance begins withdrawal from FloridaThe agency sent out messages to its Florida customers on Tuesday to provide more information on the company’s withdrawal, which is expected to take place over the next year and a half.
AAA Insurance set to drop ‘small percentage’ of Florida homeowners
Read full article: AAA Insurance set to drop ‘small percentage’ of Florida homeownersDue to strains on the insurance market involving factors like inflation, excessive litigation and a “catastrophic” hurricane season, the company will be issuing a “small percentage” of non-renewals.
Floridians flock to Citizens Insurance even as it plans rate hikes
Read full article: Floridians flock to Citizens Insurance even as it plans rate hikesAs Citizens Property Insurance Corp. waits for a decision on a plan that would lead to double-digit rate increases for customers, the state-backed insurer remains on a path to grow to 1.7 million policies by the end of the year, President and CEO Tim Cerio said Wednesday.
‘I’m concerned but I’m angry:’ Florida CFO details plan to deal with Farmers Insurance
Read full article: ‘I’m concerned but I’m angry:’ Florida CFO details plan to deal with Farmers InsuranceFlorida’s chief financial officer is looking at ways to go after Farmers Insurance for its plan to pull its Farmers-branded services from Florida, affecting 100,000 policyholders.
‘The Bud Light of insurance:’ Florida CFO threatens investigation of Farmers Insurance amid exit
Read full article: ‘The Bud Light of insurance:’ Florida CFO threatens investigation of Farmers Insurance amid exit“The more we learn about Farmers Insurance, the more it’s clear its leadership doesn’t know what they’re doing," Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis said. "While they’re bad at helping people, they’re good at virtue signaling.”
Here are the homeowners insurance companies still active in Florida
Read full article: Here are the homeowners insurance companies still active in FloridaThe Florida Officer of Insurance Regulation lists insurance companies still in operation around the state, and the agency allows homeowners to view prospective prices online.
Citizens Insurance looks to double rates, drop thousands of policies
Read full article: Citizens Insurance looks to double rates, drop thousands of policiesFlorida’s Office of Insurance Regulation held a hearing Thursday afternoon to determine if rate hikes approved by Citizens Property Insurance can go forward.
Adjusters claim insurance companies manipulate reports to avoid paying claims
Read full article: Adjusters claim insurance companies manipulate reports to avoid paying claimsSeveral adjusters claim insurance companies manipulated their reports to pay homeowners less money or deny their claims all together.
Central Florida homeowners could see flood insurance premiums double, triple
Read full article: Central Florida homeowners could see flood insurance premiums double, tripleIt's been six months since the last hurricane hit Central Florida, and many communities are still cleaning up. On top of that, they're seeing major insurance cost hikes — and the latest hit will be flood insurance.
Storm-related insurance claims increase after hailstorms hit Central Florida
Read full article: Storm-related insurance claims increase after hailstorms hit Central FloridaAfter several days of severe weather, including extremely large hail, in Central Florida, vehicle insurance companies have reported an increase in storm-related claims.
‘Total nightmare:’ As Florida insurance companies go insolvent, homeowners pay the price
Read full article: ‘Total nightmare:’ As Florida insurance companies go insolvent, homeowners pay the priceThe Florida Insurance Guaranty is adding a 1% assessment to policyholders starting in October to cover claims for insolvent companies.
Florida insurance policyholders hit with 1% emergency ‘assessment’ fee
Read full article: Florida insurance policyholders hit with 1% emergency ‘assessment’ feeState insurance regulators last week signed off on a plan that will lead to policyholders throughout Florida paying extra on their bills because of property-insurer insolvencies.
Citizen’s Insurance ‘steers away’ customer looking for lower rates
Read full article: Citizen’s Insurance ‘steers away’ customer looking for lower ratesCitizen's Property Insurance Corporation is supposed to be the insurer of last resort, but the company has become the state's largest property insurer with more than 1 million policies.
Gov. DeSantis signs new Florida property insurance legislation
Read full article: Gov. DeSantis signs new Florida property insurance legislationFlorida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed two new pieces of legislation aimed at addressing the state’s property insurance woes and providing property tax relief to hurricane victims.
Dr. Jim Clark explains what people should know ahead of special session on property insurance
Read full article: Dr. Jim Clark explains what people should know ahead of special session on property insuranceAs the special legislative session is about to kick off to tackle the state’s property insurance crisis, News 6′s political analyst is breaking down what consumers can expect lawmakers to discuss and vote on.
Tax breaks teed up for Florida hurricane damage victims
Read full article: Tax breaks teed up for Florida hurricane damage victimsNearly 50,000 property owners forced from their homes for more than a month by Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole could be eligible for tax relief under a bill that was being prepared Friday for a special legislative session next week.
Florida lawmakers discuss special session on property insurance at Orlando summit
Read full article: Florida lawmakers discuss special session on property insurance at Orlando summitWith only a few days left before lawmakers are called back to the state capitol to try and fix Florida's property insurance market, legislators say they are waiting to see the exact language written in the bill they will discuss.
Florida property insurance special legislative session details still being worked out
Read full article: Florida property insurance special legislative session details still being worked outNearly a month after Gov. Ron DeSantis said he would be calling state lawmakers back to the Florida Capitol for a second time this year to address the state’s property insurance crisis, the specific dates of the legislative session have not yet been publicly announced.
Filing another storm insurance claim could mean a lower deductible in Florida
Read full article: Filing another storm insurance claim could mean a lower deductible in FloridaFlorida residents who file property damage claims caused by Hurricane Nicole may have a lower deductible if they already met their insurance deductible for Hurricane Ian.
‘They know where the money is:’ Fraud could cost Florida homeowners, carriers billions
Read full article: ‘They know where the money is:’ Fraud could cost Florida homeowners, carriers billionsNearly three dozen contractors with a criminal past have started a door-to-door campaign to Florida homes damaged by Hurricane Ian, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
Ian uninsured flood losses in Florida could top $10B
Read full article: Ian uninsured flood losses in Florida could top $10BWith Hurricane Ian bringing massive storm surge and inland flooding, Floridians could have more than $10 billion in uninsured flood losses, according to an analysis by CoreLogic, a property-information and analytics firm.
Florida senator calls for new special session on insurance following Hurricane Ian
Read full article: Florida senator calls for new special session on insurance following Hurricane IanA state senator is calling for another special legislative session to deal with Florida’s property insurance problem.
Citizens Insurance sees thousands of new claims after Hurricane Ian
Read full article: Citizens Insurance sees thousands of new claims after Hurricane IanPreliminary estimates for Citizen’s Property Insurance Corp. have the company expecting upwards of 225,000 claims after Ian hit Florida as a Category 4 hurricane last week.
Insurance companies, FEMA helping hurricane victims in Port Charlotte
Read full article: Insurance companies, FEMA helping hurricane victims in Port CharlotteInsurance agents from State Farm to Citizens Insurance are operating makeshift tent offices in a mall parking lot in Port Charlotte, Florida to help people get funds, food and supplies.
Insurance companies, FEMA helping hurricane victims in Port Charlotte
Read full article: Insurance companies, FEMA helping hurricane victims in Port CharlotteInsurance agents from State Farm to Citizens Insurance are operating makeshift tent offices in a mall parking lot in Port Charlotte to help people get funds, food and supplies.
Dealing with damage after Ian? Call your insurance agent
Read full article: Dealing with damage after Ian? Call your insurance agentFormer deputy insurance commissioner Lisa Miller wants anyone dealing with storm damage from Hurricane Ian to call their insurance agent rather than “answer the door” for an unknown repair crew targeting your insurance money.
Citizen’s Insurance spokesperson says company can pay claims
Read full article: Citizen’s Insurance spokesperson says company can pay claimsFlorida's property insurance market has been in crisis even before Hurricane Ian, and the governor says Citizen's Insurance is prepared and able to pay out claims.
Hurricane Ian insured losses could total $40B
Read full article: Hurricane Ian insured losses could total $40BA financial ratings agency said Thursday that an initial analysis indicates insured losses from Hurricane Ian could range from $25 billion to $40 billion, putting additional pressure on Florida’s troubled property-insurance market.
Homeowners insurance company exits Florida market
Read full article: Homeowners insurance company exits Florida marketUnited Property & Casualty Insurance Co. will exit Florida’s troubled homeowners’ insurance market, forcing customers to find new coverage as their policies come up for renewal, the insurer’s parent company announced Thursday.
Florida plans to backup property insurance companies facing downgrade
Read full article: Florida plans to backup property insurance companies facing downgradeFlorida has taken action to back up property insurance companies facing a downgraded rating in an effort to help homeowners comply with mortgage requirements rather than being forced to seek new policies.
Independent insurance agents expect premiums to drop if Florida lawmakers do these 2 things
Read full article: Independent insurance agents expect premiums to drop if Florida lawmakers do these 2 thingsThis week, for the first time in a long time, independent insurance agent Derrick Vance is hopeful.
Homeowners speak out about insurance concerns at Brevard County town hall
Read full article: Homeowners speak out about insurance concerns at Brevard County town hallElected officials in Brevard County held a townhall meeting to speak with homeowners and discuss possible solutions for ongoing insurance issues.
Marion County woman says age of water heater made getting insurance difficult
Read full article: Marion County woman says age of water heater made getting insurance difficultNews 6 broke the news several weeks ago that some insurers are dropping customers if their shingle roof is older than ten-years-old. Now, a Marion County woman says her hot water heater kept her from being insured.
Property insurance attorney offers perspective on Florida’s insurance crisis
Read full article: Property insurance attorney offers perspective on Florida’s insurance crisisInsurance companies say the crisis is being fueled by mounting litigation and fraud, but property insurance attorney John Tolley said that's not the full story.
State lawmaker pushes for special session to address Florida’s property insurance woes
Read full article: State lawmaker pushes for special session to address Florida’s property insurance woesSen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican, on Friday formally asked his colleagues to support his call for a special legislative session on property insurance.
Florida ‘Home Hardening’ bill touted as insurance relief, but puts costs up front
Read full article: Florida ‘Home Hardening’ bill touted as insurance relief, but puts costs up frontLawmakers claim new legislation that just passed will offer homeowners relief, but some consumers like Susie Blanchard say the law is lip service at best.
3 questions and answers about bodily injury liability coverage
Read full article: 3 questions and answers about bodily injury liability coverageIn 2021, the Florida House and Senate passed a bill that would have eliminated Personal Injury Protection/No Fault Auto Insurance in the state and required drivers to have mandatory bodily injury coverage. The bill was vetoed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Citizens Property Insurance chief details troubled industry to Florida lawmakers
Read full article: Citizens Property Insurance chief details troubled industry to Florida lawmakersPointing to a “sea of red ink,” the head of the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. described a private insurance industry Wednesday that is losing gobs of money while homeowners face soaring rates and trouble finding coverage.
Enrollment for the Affordable Care Act reopens. Here’s what you need to know
Read full article: Enrollment for the Affordable Care Act reopens. Here’s what you need to know(U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service via AP)Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act is set to reopen Monday and stay open for the next three months. The website serves 36 states including Florida, to those who need coverage from Feb. 15 until May 15. The goal of this special enrollment period is to help uninsured Americans weather the pandemic. Former President Donald Trump’s administration had cut the open enrollment period of the ACA down from its original three months to six weeks. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, there are currently approximately 15 million uninsured Americans.
Involved in a car crash? Take these 5 steps to make sure you’re protected
Read full article: Involved in a car crash? Take these 5 steps to make sure you’re protectedYou’ll want to make sure you’re not further endangering yourself, McMillen said. Call your insurance company, but keep a few things in mind when you do so. You want to get your insurance company on board early, as in, you shouldn’t wait too long to inform them of the accident. And it made it so that the first $10,000 of any medical expenses would be covered by your insurance company. “It’s super important to get your own legal representation, because the insurance companies sure have theirs,” McMillen said.
A special type of insurance helps with business interruptions like COVID-19 closures: How to ensure youre taking full advantage
Read full article: A special type of insurance helps with business interruptions like COVID-19 closures: How to ensure youre taking full advantageThats where Business Interruption Insurance kicks inThis is a type of insurance coverage that replaces business income lost as a result of a business interruption event. One more piece of the puzzleIf youre a business, you likely want to make sure you can take advantage of any Business Interruption Insurance you might have. Bogin, Munns & Munns, for example, offers a free case evaluation about your business interruption case. Some business owners have looked into the idea of turning to their commercial Business Interruption Insurance, to try to get some financial relief. Learn more: Bogin, Munns & Munns