Insurance Notifications "Heads Up"

[DBOldford]

We recently received a letter from our insurance carrier stating that our beach house had evidence of roof damage and they required a licensed roofing contractor submit a report if they were to renew our policy. Odd, since our house is less than 10 yrs. old and has a tin roof, plus we had no leak problems through three storms over the past year. When I inquired, it turned out that it was not the roof but some missing planks for the siding (which we had already had replaced). They had photos, but had mixed up their reports because of the lack of obvious street addresses on Grayton properties. This is worth checking out, if you received a similar letter. Ask for photo evidence and a copy of the field investigator's report. The latter is pretty interesting, too.

In the course of my conversation with our insurance firm, they also told me that all wind damage policies are now going to a State pool. This means that we can expect a slight increase in the price of that particular policy, but at least we will be covered and in a context more protected by the State of Florida than we might have been otherwise. I have to say that Florida is really good about making these companies do business fairly instead of picking and choosing who they will or won't provide coverage to. Florida has insisted that they are either in business in the State or they can't do business there at all. I don't know that it would work that well in CA if we had as many natural disasters on an annual basis.

 

[Beach Runner]

I wish I could curse on this board. It starts with the letters M and F.

I'm really sorry that they're putting you through this. GRRRRR!

 

[Smiling JOe]

I wish I could curse on this board. It starts with the letters M and F.

I'm really sorry that they're putting you through this. GRRRRR!

You can say Mother Focker, like the mother in Meet the Fockers.

 

[RiverOtter]

I wish I could curse on this board. It starts with the letters M and F.

I'm really sorry that they're putting you through this. GRRRRR!

Go for it. I shows up like this M*****

 

[SGB]

We recently received our insurance renewal statements. The wind policy for our house in Seagrove more than doubled. The wind policy for our house on Mack Bayou is almost FOUR times what it was last year. We slightly upped the coverage on the Mack Bayou house to cover current construction costs, but not by much. Why our wind policy price went up so much, we don't know.

 

[ShallowsNole]

Our homeowner's policy (which includes wind) has also nearly doubled. Not quite, but almost - and they did reassess for higher costs of construction.

The renewal declarations for our flood policy haven't arrived. I am quaking in my boots.

 

[Beach Runner]

I'd rather have my rates go up than what I just opened that came in the mail today. Our insurance has been *CANCELLED* because we don't live on a main road!

I just went outside and took out my frustration by taking an object and striking it on the ground until it broke.

What are we gonna do?
?????????????????????????????????????????????????
?????????????????????????????????????????????????
?????????????????????????????????????????????????
?????????????????????????????????????????????????
?????????????????????????????????????????????????

In case you can't tell, I'm flipping out. I could

Insurance companies are all unscrupulous slime buckets!

 

[DBOldford]

We received the letter advising that the wind insurance is cancelled as of Jan., 2006. Thank goodness our agent warned me in advance, because this letter did not say anything about the State insurance pool picking up the coverage. My agent said it would increase slightly, but not double. Yikes. We had absolutely no wind damage through three storms in the past year. We expected an increase, but not to that extent.

Florida has all kinds of protection in the form of insurance pools, plus they are strict about not allowing insurance firms to treat their clients capriciously. When some tried to do this a few years back, the State said they were either out of biz in FL or doing business fairly. Only a few ended up leaving.

The thing about not being on a main road is a new one. My mother lives in one of the older homes in DeFuniak and her firm required her to confirm that the house was up to City Code before renewing her policy. Of course, this is in everyone's best interest, though. So many of those old houses have burned due to faulty wiring, etc.

Good luck to everyone on this insurance gig. We should keep comparing notes.

 

[Beach Runner]

We received the letter advising that the wind insurance is cancelled as of Jan., 2006. Thank goodness our agent warned me in advance, because this letter did not say anything about the State insurance pool picking up the coverage. My agent said it would increase slightly, but not double. Yikes. We had absolutely no wind damage through three storms in the past year. We expected an increase, but not to that extent.

Florida has all kinds of protection in the form of insurance pools, plus they are strict about not allowing insurance firms to treat their clients capriciously. When some tried to do this a few years back, the State said they were either out of biz in FL or doing business fairly. Only a few ended up leaving.

The thing about not being on a main road is a new one. My mother lives in one of the older homes in DeFuniak and her firm required her to confirm that the house was up to City Code before renewing her policy. Of course, this is in everyone's best interest, though. So many of those old houses have burned due to faulty wiring, etc.

Good luck to everyone on this insurance gig. We should keep comparing notes.

Thanks for the info - it helps. I'm having problems dealing with the unfairness of all of this - I'm stressed to the max.

BTW our agent said nothing to us about this - no warning.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I feel for you guys. Three weeks after Hurricane Ivan, my insurance increased 85% on my home. I had no damage. The Insurance company needed more money to pay out to the homeowners who did sustain damage.

Beach Runner, that luxury of being south of 30-A so that you don't have to carry your stuff too far, does come at a cost. To get insurance, search for a home farther inland.