Homeowners’ insurance is intended to protect you from unforeseen events such as fire or flooding, for example. There may be disasters, however, that aren’t covered. You can find a list of various kinds of risks that your insurer may or may not protect if you look at the policy terms. It is important to recognize…Continued
Florida has dodged any major storms and will hopefully continue to do so for the rest of the year. However, should one decide to visit South Florida, would you know the steps to take if you need to file a claim with your insurance provider? You may wish to start by determining if flooding, wind,…Continued
Florida homeowners are already known for paying some of the highest premiums in the country, and that is once again being reinforced with some recent data being released by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and the Insurance Information Institute. Florida managed to earn second place as the state with the highest premiums, bested…Continued
There may be more bad news on the horizon for Florida homeowners as state insurers seem poised to raise rates once again. Several insurance companies throughout the state are facing a financial strength rating (FSR) downgrade that could lead to rates increase. What’s worse, the downgrade may force homeowners to seek a new insurer if…Continued
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According to an analytics firm, about three of every five homes in the country do not have sufficient insurance coverage, in some cases as much as twenty percent less than the home’s value. Are you among these people? Would you have about $50,000 readily available to rebuild your home if it had a replacement hovering…Continued
Several homeowners in Southwest Florida are finding themselves with unfinished home repairs after a company collected more than $500,000 for the purpose of fixing damage caused by Hurricane Irma. The company was believed to be affiliated with a licensed operator. One homeowner handed over his full first insurance draw to the repair company only to…Continued
An article published earlier this month on the website Florida Record discusses a pair of homeowners pursuing legal action against their insurance for allegedly breaching an insurance contract by failing to cover water damages. The home located in Clearwater had an existing homeowner’s insurance policy when it sustained water damage, which was considered a…Continued
Weather forecasters are predicting this hurricane season will be more active than usual. While we’re all hoping the season comes and goes without a major storm, it’s still important to plan ahead and be realistic about what could happen and what to do in the event a storm does hit. Know what steps to take…Continued
In case you missed the news, Beryl has officially earned the dubious honor of being named the first hurricane of 2018. While it isn’t expected to pose a major threat to South Florida and will likely weaken, it reinforces the need to be prepared in the event another storm like last year’s Hurricane Irma emerges.…Continued
Now that June is here, hurricane season is officially “in session”. If yesterday’s nasty storms in South Florida were any indication, it’s that Mother Nature is not a force to be taken lightly. Thunder and lightning are one thing but coupled with strong winds, they can do some serious damage. Even with that in mind,…Continued
Did you know that living next to a fire station could lower your homeowners insurance? It’s just one factor that plays a role in determining what you’ll be paying for the coverage intended to protect your home should a natural disaster, theft, fire, or accident occur. Taking the time to thoroughly look over your policy…Continued
The countdown is on for the 13th Annual Diamond Angels Fairy Tale Ball, presented by the Diamond Angels of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation. We’re very proud of Dalyla Santos’ efforts as one of the volunteers for this year’s Fairy Tale Ball. The Diamond Angels of Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation consists of a team…Continued
Among the many questions a person may have when filing for bankruptcy is what will become of their home. Generally speaking, your home will be protected during a bankruptcy as long as your equity in the home is fully exempt. Even if your home’s equity is not fully exempt you could keep it if you…Continued
Florida has thankfully remained free of any major hurricanes for several years now, allowing major insurance provider Citizens Property Insurance to become financially stronger and leaner. And yet despite the fact that it’s been over a decade since there’s been a major storm, Citizens continues to force rate hikes upon its customers. Last month, Citizens…Continued
Some Florida homeowners are finding themselves in quite the predicament: a lack of property insurance companies refusing to take on new business in South Florida ZIP codes with high claims rates. In some cases, these insurance companies are going as far as canceling or choosing not to renew policies in areas considered high risk. Increasing…Continued
Hurricane season began on June 1st and as most people know, Florida is notorious for being one of the states most at risk for hurricanes or tropical storms due to its location. Being prepared is essential and could literally save your life. Regardless of how many or how hurricanes are predicted, you should always be…Continued
There are many reasons why you may receive a call from a debt collector. Perhaps you fell behind on your bills due to a lack of employment, or maybe you forgot about an old debt. Now you’re receiving phone calls and letters, which can be frightening if you’ve never been in such a situation. By…Continued
If you’ve been living in debt for numerous years, the feeling of finally being free of it after filing for bankruptcy can be incredibly liberating. You now have a clean slate to start rebuilding your life and start making better financial decisions as well as attain those things that once seemed out of your reach,…Continued
Per Florida law, a condominium association is not allowed to charge applicants any more than $100 when they are applying to purchase or rent a unit yet condo associations are doing just that: violating the law. When a person applies for a unit, the application fee—which is nonrefundable—is meant to cover the costs involved in…Continued
If you’re married and are planning on filing for bankruptcy, you may be debating whether to file a single or joint bankruptcy petition. Should you choose to file jointly, you and your spouse’s combined debts and property will be included in the bankruptcy. In most cases a joint bankruptcy petition is the best way to…Continued
For the many Americans that live paycheck to paycheck, it’s not easy to keep a close eye on a bank account among other responsibilities, and there may be a time when a person ends up unintentionally overdrafting, resulting in significant fees. These overdraft fees are big moneymakers for banks, earning them more than $15 billion…Continued
If your debt ends up going into collections, there is a possibility it may change hands a couple of times due to a creditor selling the debt or contracting another agency in attempt to collect it, all of which can happen more than once depending on the amount of time that’s passed since the debt…Continued
Are you ready to wipe the slate clean and embark on a road to a brighter financial future? Upon receiving a discharge of bankruptcy debts, there are a couple of things you’ll need to take care and be aware of to ensure long term success in your financial journey. You can begin by ensuring that…Continued
A topic that may emerge during a condominium board/association meeting is insurance. If a board states that unit owners are not required to carry insurance, is that correct? If you were to examine Florida’s existing condominium laws, it does state that all owners must carry insurance for their units, doesn’t it? The Florida Condominium Act…Continued
Have you ever had to deal with a company offering payday loans? You may have come across them if you happened to be doing any related searches on Google. The search giant is now making sweeping changes and recently announced that it is banning all payday loan ads, citing concerns about the questionable lending practices.…Continued
Perhaps the greatest cost of filing for bankruptcy is the emotional one. Unfortunately, there are also financial costs and fees that are involved when you choose to file, and it’s important to take these into account as you may be in a situation where you’re already low on funds. Let’s begin with the court fees. …Continued
If you read the fine print on a contract you sign with a bank, a credit card company or even payday lenders, you may notice terms explicitly barring you from joining a class-action lawsuit against that company. If Federal regulators have their way, this contract language will soon be banned. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau…Continued
When you have debt, the last thing you want to do is answer your phone. The anxiety of knowing there is a potential bill collector on the other end asking for money that you may not have causes stress, and sometimes these collectors can become incredibly rude. While the Federal Trade Commission has made efforts…Continued
So you’ve decided to start your own business, congratulations! Starting a business can be an exciting and highly opportune experience, but there are steps that need to be taken prior to your grand opening. For starters, you’ll need to develop a business plan which can seem intimidating as you’re essentially putting all of your business…Continued
Filing for bankruptcy is time consuming and it involves a significant amount of paperwork, not to mention the emotional toll and stress involved. For anyone filing for Chapter 7 for the first time, it’s important to know the right forms and necessary steps. Begin by doing an assessment of your finances and examining closely why…Continued
Have you ever heard of “assignment of benefits”? Private insurance companies are putting in requests to the state to approve two important policy revisions aimed at reducing losses from this practice. Last month, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation gave Citizens Property Insurance Corporation the okay to limit costs involving emergency repairs after a loss…Continued
Student loans are the largest source of debt for American households. An average student graduates with a $25,000.00 loan balance and for many people, one of the several factors that lead to a bankruptcy filing is being unable to pay for student loans. Student loans are often a necessity for someone seeking to obtain his…Continued
If you’re struggling with credit card debt, there are options available to get out of it, but unfortunately these options are not as simple as you might like. You may for example choose to apply for a loan to consolidate your loan at a lower interest rate, but this requires having a good credit score. …Continued
Besides weighing the pros and cons of filing for bankruptcy, one thing many people fail to take into account are the tax-related consequences. With the tax season deadline right around the corner, it’s worth taking a look at the subject and what you can expect. If you file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy there will be…Continued
Are you planning to file for bankruptcy? This process can be emotionally painful, overwhelming, and stressful. As with any process, the more you educate yourself and do your homework, the easier it will be to navigate the bankruptcy filing process, allowing you to start fresh with a clean slate and practice better financial decisions. Before…Continued
