Insurance Claims
Assigning Your Insurance Benefits
Floridians whose homes were damaged by Hurricane Irma or other tropical storm or hurricane activity are eager to repair their properties. But some insurers are worried that homeowners looking for quick and easy repairs might be vulnerable to assignment of benefits abuse. They urge homeowners to proceed with caution in assigning their insurance benefits…. Read More »
Frequently Asked Questions About Florida Homeowners’ Insurance Law
Florida insurance law is complex. But understanding your rights and responsibilities as a Florida homeowner is extremely important. Here are the answers to a few frequently asked questions about Florida homeowners’ insurance law. Q: Will my insurance company reimburse me for the actual value of my property before the damage occurred? A: No. Florida… Read More »
Insurance Company Disputes Effective Date of Flood Insurance Policy
Almost 500,000 insurance claims have been filed in Florida because of Hurricane Irma, and only 17 percent of those claims have been closed, according to recent figures from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation. Standard homeowner’s insurance policies don’t cover flood damage. In fact, if you were in Irma’s path, you might have sustained… Read More »
Florida Homeowners without Flood Insurance
Of the people living in Florida’s four southernmost counties, there are 1.3 million homes located in high-risk flood areas, according to data collected by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Of those 1.3 million, more than 861,000 don’t have flood insurance. The four southernmost counties are Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Collier, which are home… Read More »
Trump Delays Expiration of National Flood Insurance Program
Hurricane Irma slammed into Florida in September as a Category 4 storm, bringing substantial winds to communities across the state. Irma’s winds uprooted so many trees in Palm Beach County that it could be three months before officials can remove all of the vegetation debris, according to the county Solid Waste Authority. Water damage… Read More »
Emergency Order Temporarily Bars Property Insurance Rate Increases, Cancellations
Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier recently signed an emergency order temporarily barring property insurance policy cancellations and rate increases. Specifically, companies may not raise rates until December 3 or cancel policies between September 4 and October 15 (this includes policy nonrenewals). The commissioner did this because Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency… Read More »
Lawmakers Revive PIP Repeal Efforts
Efforts to repeal Florida’s no-fault car insurance system are once again under way. State Sen. Tom Lee, R-Thonotosassa, recently filed a bill that would replace the state’s personal injury protection (PIP) system with a requirement that motorists carry bodily injury coverage and medical payment coverage. This legislation is similar to the recent repeal-and-replace effort… Read More »
Wind Damage from Tropical Storms and Hurricanes, and Insurance Claim Denials
Tropical Storm Emily hit with almost no warning. Generally, tropical storms and hurricanes form far enough out that Florida residents have enough time to prepare for the rain and wind. But Emily formed overnight in late July and made landfall in Southwest Florida the next morning. Forecasters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration… Read More »
National Flood Insurance Program Set to Expire Unless Congress Acts
Florida sees a lot of hurricane and tropical storm activity, including a recent storm that surprised meteorologists by forming just off the coast and then making landfall in Southeast Florida hours later. That was Tropical Storm Emily. The heavy rain that accompanies such storms puts Florida homes and businesses at risk of flood damage,… Read More »
Senate Fails to Vote on PIP Insurance Repeal
In April the Florida House of Representatives voted to repeal the state’s personal injury protection (PIP) insurance system. But because of the Senate’s inaction, the measure will not become law — at least not until another legislative session. What Is the Law Currently? Florida is only one of ten states with no-fault auto insurance…. Read More »
