Florida lawmakers struggle to curb roofing fraud in insurance market
Cora Hayes and her husband had just replaced the roof on their Ocala home when she says they were approached by an employee from another roofing company.
Florida regulators eye Citizens Insurance rate hikes to match market
Florida regulators Thursday dug into a proposal that would lead to double-digit rate increases for customers of Citizens Property Insurance Corp., as the state insurer of last resort continues trying to push policies into the private market.
โAdding a city:โ Millions more could flock to Florida. Hereโs when to expect it
The most recent estimates indicate that Florida will gain enough people each year to fill a city nearly the size of Orlando.
Citizensโ reinsurance tab reaches $482M amid hurricane season in Florida
The stateโs Citizens Property Insurance Corp. has purchased $3.564 billion in reinsurance coverage โ at a cost of $482 million โ to serve as a backstop for paying claims during this yearโs hurricane season.
Reinsurance picture improves for Florida amid hurricane season
As Florida gets ready to enter the thick of hurricane season, property insurers have seen improvements in the market for reinsurance โ critical backup coverage that helps drive how much homeowners pay in premiums.
My Safe Florida Home now accepting applications for hurricane-related home improvements
My Safe Florida Home is about to begin accepting applications for inspections that could lead to state-matched grants to help homeowners pay for resiliency projects in the face of another hurricane season.
Progressive dropping 100,000 home insurance policies in Florida. Here are the details
In the middle of whatโs being called a โproperty insurance crisisโ in Florida, several local homeowners said their policies are being dropped by Progressive, one of the biggest property insurance companies in the country.
Floridaโs Citizens Insurance faces U.S. Senate questions
Seizing on a comment by Gov. Ron DeSantis, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee has ratcheted up a request for financial information about Floridaโs Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
Why Floridaโs car insurance premiums are the most expensive in the US
Auto insurance premiums increased an average of 20% nationally as of December of last year, the largest annual national increase since 1976, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In Florida, itโs worse.
โHome hardeningโ pays off for Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis
Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis said recommended โhome hardeningโ recommendations provided by the My Safe Florida Home program saved him a bundle in his annual home insurance premium.
Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis wants to โright sizeโ insurance consumer services
Floridaโs chief financial officer is asking the state legislature for more money to increase the size of the division that helps Floridians with insurance issues.
More than 90K policies move from Citizens to private insurers in โdepopulationโ push
For the second month in a row, private insurers have taken more than 90,000 policies from the stateโs Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
Your Florida Daily: Citizens Insurance deadline, vigil held in Volusia after Hamas attacks in Israel
The fighting between Israeli forces and the Palestinian terror group Hamas is having a polarizing effect in Florida, bringing out supporters on both sides.
Citizens Insurance presents double-digit rate hike proposal at Board of Governors meeting
The Citizens Board of Governors on Wednesday morning will hear a proposal for double-digit rate hikes, set to be in place by yearโs end.
๐Car insurance costs are rising: Hereโs why and what you can do
Amid a leveling off of new and used vehicle costs, rising car insurance costs have caused a flat tire for drivers hoping for relief from the financial pressure of driving.
Florida, other states want flood insurance fight to continue
Florida and other states are trying to fend off an attempt by the Biden administration to end a lawsuit challenging changes to the National Flood Insurance Program that have led to higher premiums for many property owners.
Insurers OKโd to take Citizens policies in Florida
As efforts continued to sort out damage from Hurricane Idalia, regulators on Friday approved proposals by seven private insurers to pull as many as 202,000 policies from the stateโs Citizens Property Insurance Corp.
President of Security First Insurance Company offers tips for Florida home insurance customers
Melissa DeVriese, President, Security First Insurance Company in Ormond beach sat down with News 6 investigator Mike Holfeld to talk about the role insurance companies will play to answer the call for coverage and what policy holders need to know.
Former Florida assistant insurance commissioner urges residents not take Idalia for granted
Lisa Miller, former assistant insurance commissioner for the state of Florida under Gov. Jeb Bush, sat down with News 6 to offer safety and insurance advice in the wake of Idaliaโs imminent landfall.
Private insurers OKโd to take over Citizens policies
As homeowners continue piling into the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp., regulators this week approved proposals that could lead to private insurers pulling as many as 184,000 policies from Citizens starting in October.
Hereโs what to know as Farmers Insurance begins withdrawal from Florida
The agency sent out messages to its Florida customers on Tuesday to provide more information on the companyโs withdrawal, which is expected to take place over the next year and a half.
AAA Insurance set to drop โsmall percentageโ of Florida homeowners
Due to strains on the insurance market involving factors like inflation, excessive litigation and a โcatastrophicโ hurricane season, the company will be issuing a โsmall percentageโ of non-renewals.
Floridians flock to Citizens Insurance even as it plans rate hikes
As Citizens Property Insurance Corp. waits for a decision on a plan that would lead to double-digit rate increases for customers, the state-backed insurer remains on a path to grow to 1.7 million policies by the end of the year, President and CEO Tim Cerio said Wednesday.
โIโm concerned but Iโm angry:โ Florida CFO details plan to deal with Farmers Insurance
Floridaโs chief financial officer is looking at ways to go after Farmers Insurance for its plan to pull its Farmers-branded services from Florida, affecting 100,000 policyholders.
โThe Bud Light of insurance:โ Florida CFO threatens investigation of Farmers Insurance amid exit
โThe more we learn about Farmers Insurance, the more itโs clear its leadership doesnโt know what theyโre doing," Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis said. "While theyโre bad at helping people, theyโre good at virtue signaling.โ
Here are the homeowners insurance companies still active in Florida
The Florida Officer of Insurance Regulation lists insurance companies still in operation around the state, and the agency allows homeowners to view prospective prices online.
Citizens Insurance looks to double rates, drop thousands of policies
Floridaโs Office of Insurance Regulation held a hearing Thursday afternoon to determine if rate hikes approved by Citizens Property Insurance can go forward.
Adjusters claim insurance companies manipulate reports to avoid paying claims
Several adjusters claim insurance companies manipulated their reports to pay homeowners less money or deny their claims all together.
Central Florida homeowners could see flood insurance premiums double, triple
It's been six months since the last hurricane hit Central Florida, and many communities are still cleaning up. On top of that, they're seeing major insurance cost hikes โ and the latest hit will be flood insurance.
Storm-related insurance claims increase after hailstorms hit Central Florida
After several days of severe weather, including extremely large hail, in Central Florida, vehicle insurance companies have reported an increase in storm-related claims.
โTotal nightmare:โ As Florida insurance companies go insolvent, homeowners pay the price
The Florida Insurance Guaranty is adding a 1% assessment to policyholders starting in October to cover claims for insolvent companies.
Florida insurance policyholders hit with 1% emergency โassessmentโ fee
State insurance regulators last week signed off on a plan that will lead to policyholders throughout Florida paying extra on their bills because of property-insurer insolvencies.
Citizenโs Insurance โsteers awayโ customer looking for lower rates
Citizen's Property Insurance Corporation is supposed to be the insurer of last resort, but the company has become the state's largest property insurer with more than 1 million policies.
Gov. DeSantis signs new Florida property insurance legislation
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed two new pieces of legislation aimed at addressing the stateโs property insurance woes and providing property tax relief to hurricane victims.
Dr. Jim Clark explains what people should know ahead of special session on property insurance
As the special legislative session is about to kick off to tackle the stateโs property insurance crisis, News 6โฒs political analyst is breaking down what consumers can expect lawmakers to discuss and vote on.
Tax breaks teed up for Florida hurricane damage victims
Nearly 50,000 property owners forced from their homes for more than a month by Hurricane Ian or Hurricane Nicole could be eligible for tax relief under a bill that was being prepared Friday for a special legislative session next week.
Florida lawmakers discuss special session on property insurance at Orlando summit
With only a few days left before lawmakers are called back to the state capitol to try and fix Florida's property insurance market, legislators say they are waiting to see the exact language written in the bill they will discuss.
Florida property insurance special legislative session details still being worked out
Nearly a month after Gov. Ron DeSantis said he would be calling state lawmakers back to the Florida Capitol for a second time this year to address the stateโs property insurance crisis, the specific dates of the legislative session have not yet been publicly announced.
Filing another storm insurance claim could mean a lower deductible in Florida
Florida residents who file property damage claims caused by Hurricane Nicole may have a lower deductible if they already met their insurance deductible for Hurricane Ian.
โThey know where the money is:โ Fraud could cost Florida homeowners, carriers billions
Nearly three dozen contractors with a criminal past have started a door-to-door campaign to Florida homes damaged by Hurricane Ian, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
Ian uninsured flood losses in Florida could top $10B
With Hurricane Ian bringing massive storm surge and inland flooding, Floridians could have more than $10 billion in uninsured flood losses, according to an analysis by CoreLogic, a property-information and analytics firm.
Florida senator calls for new special session on insurance following Hurricane Ian
A state senator is calling for another special legislative session to deal with Floridaโs property insurance problem.
Citizens Insurance sees thousands of new claims after Hurricane Ian
Preliminary estimates for Citizenโs Property Insurance Corp. have the company expecting upwards of 225,000 claims after Ian hit Florida as a Category 4 hurricane last week.
Insurance companies, FEMA helping hurricane victims in Port Charlotte
Insurance agents from State Farm to Citizens Insurance are operating makeshift tent offices in a mall parking lot in Port Charlotte, Florida to help people get funds, food and supplies.
Insurance companies, FEMA helping hurricane victims in Port Charlotte
Insurance agents from State Farm to Citizens Insurance are operating makeshift tent offices in a mall parking lot in Port Charlotte to help people get funds, food and supplies.
Dealing with damage after Ian? Call your insurance agent
Former deputy insurance commissioner Lisa Miller wants anyone dealing with storm damage from Hurricane Ian to call their insurance agent rather than โanswer the doorโ for an unknown repair crew targeting your insurance money.
Citizenโs Insurance spokesperson says company can pay claims
Florida's property insurance market has been in crisis even before Hurricane Ian, and the governor says Citizen's Insurance is prepared and able to pay out claims.
Hurricane Ian insured losses could total $40B
A financial ratings agency said Thursday that an initial analysis indicates insured losses from Hurricane Ian could range from $25 billion to $40 billion, putting additional pressure on Floridaโs troubled property-insurance market.
Homeowners insurance company exits Florida market
United Property & Casualty Insurance Co. will exit Floridaโs troubled homeownersโ insurance market, forcing customers to find new coverage as their policies come up for renewal, the insurerโs parent company announced Thursday.
Author, entrepreneur Richard โRichโ Miller discusses his life, dreams and revenue streams
How young were you when your first savings account was opened? Our guest today likely has you beat.
Florida plans to backup property insurance companies facing downgrade
Florida has taken action to back up property insurance companies facing a downgraded rating in an effort to help homeowners comply with mortgage requirements rather than being forced to seek new policies.
Independent insurance agents expect premiums to drop if Florida lawmakers do these 2 things
This week, for the first time in a long time, independent insurance agent Derrick Vance is hopeful.
Homeowners speak out about insurance concerns at Brevard County town hall
Elected officials in Brevard County held a townhall meeting to speak with homeowners and discuss possible solutions for ongoing insurance issues.
Marion County woman says age of water heater made getting insurance difficult
News 6 broke the news several weeks ago that some insurers are dropping customers if their shingle roof is older than ten-years-old. Now, a Marion County woman says her hot water heater kept her from being insured.
Property insurance attorney offers perspective on Floridaโs insurance crisis
Insurance companies say the crisis is being fueled by mounting litigation and fraud, but property insurance attorney John Tolley said that's not the full story.
State lawmaker pushes for special session to address Floridaโs property insurance woes
Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican, on Friday formally asked his colleagues to support his call for a special legislative session on property insurance.
Florida โHome Hardeningโ bill touted as insurance relief, but puts costs up front
Lawmakers claim new legislation that just passed will offer homeowners relief, but some consumers like Susie Blanchard say the law is lip service at best.
3 questions and answers about bodily injury liability coverage
In 2021, the Florida House and Senate passed a bill that would have eliminated Personal Injury Protection/No Fault Auto Insurance in the state and required drivers to have mandatory bodily injury coverage. The bill was vetoed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
Citizens Property Insurance chief details troubled industry to Florida lawmakers
Pointing to a โsea of red ink,โ the head of the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. described a private insurance industry Wednesday that is losing gobs of money while homeowners face soaring rates and trouble finding coverage.
Enrollment for the Affordable Care Act reopens. Hereโs what you need to know
(U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service via AP)Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act is set to reopen Monday and stay open for the next three months. The website serves 36 states including Florida, to those who need coverage from Feb. 15 until May 15. The goal of this special enrollment period is to help uninsured Americans weather the pandemic. Former President Donald Trumpโs administration had cut the open enrollment period of the ACA down from its original three months to six weeks. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, there are currently approximately 15 million uninsured Americans.
Involved in a car crash? Take these 5 steps to make sure youโre protected
Youโll want to make sure youโre not further endangering yourself, McMillen said. Call your insurance company, but keep a few things in mind when you do so. You want to get your insurance company on board early, as in, you shouldnโt wait too long to inform them of the accident. And it made it so that the first $10,000 of any medical expenses would be covered by your insurance company. โItโs super important to get your own legal representation, because the insurance companies sure have theirs,โ McMillen said.
A special type of insurance helps with business interruptions like COVID-19 closures: How to ensure youre taking full advantage
Thats where Business Interruption Insurance kicks inThis is a type of insurance coverage that replaces business income lost as a result of a business interruption event. One more piece of the puzzleIf youre a business, you likely want to make sure you can take advantage of any Business Interruption Insurance you might have. Bogin, Munns & Munns, for example, offers a free case evaluation about your business interruption case. Some business owners have looked into the idea of turning to their commercial Business Interruption Insurance, to try to get some financial relief. Learn more: Bogin, Munns & Munns