The Board of Governors of Citizens Property Insurance Corp has accepted rate guidelines after holding off on authorizing its 2021 premiums, which the insurer hopes would make its rates more aggressive with the private sector and decelerate the influx of policyholders coming back to the insurer. A statewide average rate rise of a little over…Continued
Smart home technology has become prominent in many homes, making them potentially safer, apart from common privacy concerns. More linked than ever, sensors and smoke detectors are theoretically stopping a condition from being worse or tragic. What smart home technologies are capable of, insurance firms have noted. The technology assists with reducing the chances that…Continued
Home insurance inspections differ from a normal home inspection as the latter is typically for your peace of mind. You will want to be confident, for example, that the house has no significant structural defects, such as faulty wiring. On the other hand, a home insurance inspection helps the insurance provider to gauge the repair…Continued
The 2020 storm season has been an active one and has included close calls like Hurricane Isaias which came dangerously close to South Florida before shifting direction. As more storms arise, it’s important to be prepared when it comes to home insurance. That also means avoiding common pitfalls that may end up being costly. Strongly…Continued
Among the many reasons why it’s so important to know your insurance policy is because there is only so much governments will do for you in the event your home suffers extensive damage due to a storm. FEMA, for example, may provide disaster grants that don’t require repayment. However, the amount provided by these grants…Continued
On June 1, hurricane season officially. As we’ve discussed in the past, now is when you should be taking a close look at your insurance policy. Do you understand all of the terms? Are you aware of what is and isn’t covered? An article on Florida Today presents some valid points about why it’s so…Continued
As is the case with many homeowners, the best asset you have is likely your house. Protecting it will be high on the agenda. Plus, nearly every mortgage lender has requirements in place mandating that homeowners purchase home insurance. That makes sense: Even if your home suffers catastrophic damage, your lender needs to get repaid.…Continued
A CNBC article tells the story of a homeowner whose property sustained damage following a tornado. Though the home was only damaged externally, he found out that his homeowners’ insurance policy did not cover all of the damage. While the policy terms provided the coverage to replace the roof entirely, the siding of the home…Continued
One way homeowners with extra bedrooms or a guesthouse can make extra money is by renting using popular services like Airbnb. Short term rentals certainly have their appeal, especially in cities like Miami but several factors need to be taken into account. For example, there is the potential issue of insurance coverage. Have you examined…Continued
When purchasing a home, you want to have full disclosure about any issues it may have. That’s one of the reasons why it’s highly suggested to have a home inspection done. But what do you do in a situation where you find out the home is a major flood risk after you purchased it? An…Continued
October is here which means this month we’ll be celebrating Halloween. The day remains popular as children and adults alike dress up in costume. However, Halloween is also notorious for the havoc it can cause. The use of rotten eggs or “egging”, for example, is a common tradition that may cause damage to a home.…Continued
Hurricane Dorian managed to steer mostly clear of South Florida, sparing it from some potentially catastrophic damage. However, hurricane season isn’t officially over until the end of November. In the event a hurricane does pay a visit to South Florida, would you know what steps to take to file an insurance claim? One of…Continued
It’s August and so far, South Florida has managed to dodge any major storms like a hurricane. However, smaller storms have been occurring on an almost daily basis, which means homes are still susceptible to damage albeit at a smaller degree. As a homeowner, would you know how to proceed if something were to happen?…Continued
With Barry officially being named a tropical storm, it’s worth keeping in mind the damage a storm can cost. While lives are the priority, it’s also important to take into account your property. Do you know what a standard policy does and doesn’t cover? A standard homeowners policy will protect four primary things: your dwelling…Continued
When most people think of a meteorologist, they think of the people frequently seen on newscasts. These are the people that can tell you what kind of weather to expect and when this weather will occur. And then there are forensic meteorologists, which do everything a regular meteorologist does but they also have the experience…Continued
Purchasing a new homeowners insurance policy can turn into a Herculean effort. For many households, an inspection may be required, though these may vary among insurance companies. Additionally, there are various inspectors to choose from, further complicating the process. Depending on which insurance company you ultimately go with, the following are a few examples of…Continued
The subtropical depression Alberto that affected Florida this past Memorial Day weekend only serves to reinforce how important it is to take the time and ensure that your insurance policy reflects your needs and that it provides sufficient coverage for you and your family. . As the value of a property fluctuates, it’s important…Continued
Hopefully, there will never come a time when a major disaster strikes your home. Yet as we all know, life and Mother Nature are unpredictable and disaster can strike at any moment. Besides having enough homeowners insurance coverage for your home, it’s also important to have a home inventory. If you haven’t…Continued
It’s 2019 and efforts to tackle Florida’s assignment of benefits (AOB) issue continue. In a recent move, a new Senate Bill 122 has been proposed with the goal of overhauling the one-way attorney fee provision in the state’s current AOB law. With this bill, attorney fees would only be awarded to the policyholders that win…Continued
Some bad news for Citizens Insurance policyholders as we approach the beginning of 2019. Earlier this month, the last resort insurer decided to raise its residential insurance rates by just over eight percent. Policyholders can find some degree of relief in knowing that the rate hikes will not kick in until the fall season in…Continued
In a perfect world, a meeting from an insurance adjuster is one that most homeowners would look forward to. But with so many adjusters attempting to reduce what the insurance company has to pay out, it’s understandable if the homeowner feels nervous. While not all adjusters are bad, they have a job to do and…Continued
With billions of dollars in insurance claims being reported and even more coming in due to Hurricane Michael, are Florida homeowners facing rate hikes? According to a WTVT FOX 13 article, the jury is out on whether this will happen. Even though there are fewer than two months remaining before we welcome 2019, there are…Continued
The aftermath of Hurricane Michael and its rampage through the Florida Panhandle reinforces just how damaging a major storm can be and how important it is to take preventative measures. Thankfully, a storm like last year’s Hurricane Irma did not pass through South Florida, yet homeowners should be aware of items that deserve their attention,…Continued
Panama City has remained one of Florida’s most popular vacation spots but after Hurricane Michael, it’s turned into something of an insurance fiasco. Hundreds of Panama City vacationers are seeking answers as they wait for their vacation or temporary homes to receive much-needed repairs. In one example, a longtime Panama City renter returned to her…Continued
With Tropical Storm Gordon edging close to Florida, it is important to remember that a major storm can still make landfall, even if less than a month remains until the end of the summer season. For new homeowners that are evaluating purchasing a brand new homeowners insurance policy, it is also important to know that…Continued
The subtropical depression Alberto that affected Florida this past Memorial Day weekend only serves to reinforce how important it is to take the time and ensure that your insurance policy reflects your needs and that it provides sufficient coverage for you and your family. . As the value of a property fluctuates, it’s important…Continued
A Sun Sentinel article published last week discusses the sharp rise in lawsuits against property insurance companies during the first quarter of the year when compared to the numbers from 2017. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the largest number of these lawsuits were filed by home and property owners in Florida. More than 10,500 lawsuits were served to…Continued
Citizens Property Insurance Corp. is once again generating headlines after approving several changes to its policy language aimed at tackling the expensive costs associated with non-weather water loss claims and the legal cases that have caused premiums to skyrocket. These changes will also cover issues that have emerged since the insurer implemented its Managed Repair…Continued
