Policyholders are often shocked to learn that the loss settlement check they receive from the insurance company is payable not only to the policyholder, but to their mortgage company as well. Homeowners insurance policies are broken down into several types of coverage – whether for the building, personal property, liability, alternative living expense, or
Lightning Strikes – Florida’s Most Underrated Disaster
Although it doesn’t get the same attention as Florida’s other natural disasters, lightning damage led to more than 10,000 insurance claims in Florida over the past year. Florida ranks first in the nation for both injuries caused by lightning strikes and insurance claims caused by lightning related damage. The estimated total property damage caused by
Florida Gators Win Without Even Playing!
The University of Florida Gators were scheduled to play football against the University of Idaho Vandals on August 30, 2014 in what was to be the Gators season home opener in Gainesville, Florida. The football game was initially scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m., but due to heavy rains and lightning, the start of the
Switching to a Cheaper Property Insurance Company? Better Think Twice.
Over the past few months, many Citizens Property Insurance policy holders received a notification that, unless they opted out within a certain time frame, their property insurance would be automatically transferred out of Citizens and into one of several small start-up insurance companies. These newly formed property insurance carriers have been nick-named “take-out” companies because
Tornado and Flood Damage in Florida – What to Do After the Storm
Over the last few days, Central Florida has been pounded by torrential rain, tornadoes and high winds. These damaging windstorms and tornados were especially violent in Manatee, Sarasota, Lee, Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties. These thunder storms caused flooding in Shore Acres, wind damage in Siesta Key, and claimed the lives of two people in Duette.
Wind Mitigation Credits – Save Money on Homeowner’s Insurance
It may come as a surprise to many homeowners, but you may be able to substantially reduce your homeowner’s property insurance premiums by just looking through the provisions of your policy. Specifically, most homeowner’s insurance policies set forth numerous premium “credits” for which you can qualify based upon the age and condition of your home.
Flood Insurance Crisis – Possible Help on the Horizon
By now, most Floridians have heard about – or even experienced – the incredible spike in flood insurance premiums that are coming their way due to the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act. In short, the Biggert-Waters act is a new federal law which attempts to address a $24 billion dollar deficit in the coffers of
Citizens Denying Claims While Paying Its Lawyers Million$$ of Dollars
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation has been earning a reputation for systematically denying almost every insurance claim asserted by its policyholders. Instead of honoring valid claims, Citizens spends millions of dollars each month “defending” claims – the same type of claims that other insurance companies would routinely pay without question. Although those of us in the
Water Damage – the Silent Destroyer of Homes
Although hurricanes, earthquakes, and sinkholes get the majority of the attention in the news, the vast majority of insurance claims deal with water damage to property. These claims are generally broken into two categories – flood damage and water leak/seapage damage. Flood claims revolve around damage caused by “rising water”, as opposed to other types
New Flood Insurance Law May Crush Florida’s Real Estate Market
Pursuant to a new Federal law, premiums for residential flood insurance in Florida may soon be as high as $24,000 a year. A new law, the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act, was enacted by Congress in 2012 as a knee jerk reaction to the recent large scale disasters such as hurricanes Katrina and Sandy. Proponents