In the wake of one of the largest insurance rate increases to hit the state, Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance has been the subject of criticism from the public and state regulators. The state-run insurance company recently received approval to hike up the premiums for sinkhole coverage by an average of 429%. These rates have yet to take effect, a fact that Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty has been keen to express. The Commissioner has vowed to ensure that the steep rate hike is to be phased in slowly, hoping to ease…
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Citizens Property Insurance of Florida proposes rate increases averaging 428% for sinkhole policies
Sinkholes have been quite troublesome in Florida recently. Earlier in the year, the state was inundated with insurance claims regarding damages caused by sinkholes. The majority of these claims, however, were fraudulent, as regulators discovered little to no evidence of sinkholes when investigating properties claiming to have suffered damage. The overwhelming number of falsified claims coming from property owners has caused many insurers to limit the extent of their coverage or otherwise raise the premiums associated with sinkhole insurance. Citizens Property Insurance, the state-funded insurance program, too will be raising…
Read MoreFlorida Insurance: Controversy over new property insurance bill
Florida Governor Rick Scott has been the subject of public scorn recently after pressuring the state’s lawmakers to form a bill that would significantly cut the number of policies that could be written by Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Scott has voiced his determination to reduce Citizens’ role in the state’s insurance industry for some time. He denies that his goal is the closure of the insurer, however. The Governor says that he recognizes the value of the insurer but insists that some changes need to be made to justify its…
Read MoreNew rules in the pipeline for Florida property insurer
A controversial bill has been passed by Florida’s Senate Banking and Insurance committee. The bill could increase the premiums paid by customers of Citizens Property Insurance by 25% and will eliminate coverage for some homeowners over time for properties whose value exceeds $500,000. Strict requirements will also be imposed, preventing homeowners from being able to enter the insurance program unless their only alternatives are 25% more expensive than coverage offered by Citizens. Representative Alan Hays of Umatilla, one of the bill’s sponsors, claims that raising premiums is the very last…
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