Posted by  L.A. Hall, Bradenton, FL on 06/12  at  03:22 PM

After living in this state for 6 years, my husband and I will NEVER own our own home in the state of Florida.

First it was the out of control housing prices and everyone wanting to make big bucks from property sales.  Now its insurance rates.

This state only caters to the wealthy who DON’T LIVE HERE 365 days a year, who DON’T WORK HERE 52 weeks a year and who DON’T SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL HERE.  Basically, it’s just a place to come for a break or while you’re waiting for the snow melt back home.

I don’t forsee us staying in Florida for longer than this year.  We’re going to go back Midwest, where prices of homes, cost of living and insurance prices are at least reasonable to the poor people who have to work for a living.

All of the Bush’s in the government need to clean out their ears and hear what the problems facing REAL people are!  Right now, I’m sorry I voted Republican!

Posted by  Jerry LaBruno, Land O' Lake, FL on 06/12  at  03:06 PM

We bought a home in Land O’Lakes five years ago.  Since then our homeowners insurance has gone from $600 per year to $3,000.00 per year.  First it was because of possible ‘sinkholes’, now ‘hurricanes’. What the heck is insurance for? If there were no disasters we would not need insurance. My deductable for ‘wind/hail’ damage is $9,500.00 and this is with a non Citizens company.  What good does that do me?  The insurance companies take your premiums for years and then when they have to pay out for a claim their in trouble. Go figure! Come on Gov. Bush, lets no let the insurance companies run the state of Florida!

Posted by  Danielle Mercer, Port Richey FL on 06/12  at  02:38 PM

We just bought our house last year.  We are up for renewal on our insurance with USF&G Last year it was $1,500.00 and this year it is going to be $3,998.00! All for a 2 bedroom, 1,300 sq ft house.  We aren’t in a flood zone or anything.  It just went up like crazy.

Posted by  William Murphy, Zephyrhills Fl. on 06/12  at  02:25 PM

I se more then I have had problems with Citizens. It is time for either the states to tell all insurance company’s to insure us in Florida or lose the right to uinsure in al the other state. It a sad day when big business rules the state government. I too have my home owners rate to more then double and never in 30 + years had a claim

Posted by  Kathy Moore, 12819 Sandy Trail Lane, Bayonet Point, FL on 06/12  at  02:04 PM

We are with Citizens Insurance.  I have tried and tried to get someone else to insure us, but… We bought our home in 1996, (it was built in 1974). 4 years ago my homeowners insurance was $600+, they just renewed my insurance this year for
$ 4368.00.  My house is the same, I don’t have to have flood insurance, we have not made any claims.  I don’t understand how they can justify this type of an increase.  Many home owners in my neighborhood are considering going without insurance because they simply cannot afford $300-$400 a month for insurance.  I don’t know what I am going to do if something doesn’t change.

Posted by  Chris Jones, Port richey, FL on 06/12  at  02:04 PM

I am a frustraded angry homeowner who is almost on the verge of foreclosure and about to lose my home due to my $4000.00 home owners insurance policy. I found a good web site:

HAC is a NON-PARTISAN, grassroots organization founded on the principle that Citizen’s Property Insurance is an out-of-control Government agency that is not, does not, and never has acted in the best interests of the residents of Florida, and needs to be changed, and changed NOW!!!
Our mission and goal is the total overhaul and the investigation into Citizens Property Insurance, their past mismanagement and other issues that have created the skyrocketing insurance premiums being thrust upon us now.

Visit there web site at http://www.hacfl.org

Posted by  Pat Patterson, Clearwater on 06/12  at  01:21 PM

Cmmercial properties are affected as well. We own an office building in downtown Clearwater, on Drew Street a mile from the Intercoastal. We are not located in a flood zone. The building, about 60 years old, was built before some of the code changes. Our insurance company dropped our wind coverage from our policy, with short notice before it was due for renewal. I have tried over 14 insurance companies, and no one will give us a wind policy. Wind coverage is required for our mortgage and the bank is very concerned that we don’t have it. We have spoken with other business owners facing this siutation in the area. Most of downtown Clearwater consists of older buildings, such as hotels, gas stations, and shops. As the insurance crisis forces them to sell their property, the Scientologists expand or developers build mammoth towers. The insurance situation makes it difficult for small businesses to stay in downtown Clearwater, and it is a shame to see what the area is becoming.

Posted by  Vicky Higgins, Fort Meade Florida on 06/12  at  01:08 PM

Our policy is being cancelled right in the middle of hurricane season! Our home is 106 years old. If we can not secure insurance our mortgage company will do forced coverage for the house only. No personal property or liability coverage. We expect the house payment to increase dramamtically when this insurance reconfigures our escrow.

We have been turned down by several different companies solely because of the age of the house. When I bought the home in 1996 we had an engineer’s inspection report that supported the stucture of the home. We had an architechural inspection in 2004 after Charley effected our house. We would not have sustained much damage at all if a 90 ton tree had not hit us. Now that that is all cleared away there is less danger of damage in future storms. With a totally new roof from the rafters up it’s even more investment friendly.

What can we do to get some protection for our family of 7, including a disabled child?

Posted by  Lesley Lyle, Bowling Green, FL on 06/12  at  12:54 PM

I have been in a FEMA Travel Trailer since Oct 2004.  I have saved and was able to buy a new trailer to put on my property.  After it has been set up and anchored down no one will insure it for me.

Not only am I not able to get insurance on my home, but also last week I got a letter from my business insurance that they are going to cancel us this Aug due to the 2004 wind damages.  We have just gotten all of our buildings rebuilt just in the last four months.

What are small business and homeowners going to do?

Posted by  melinda wells, tampa fl on 06/12  at  12:48 PM

my insurance doubled this year and a co workers insurance is going to non renew because she has 3 dogs and her insurance company states that a home owner can not be a responsible person and own 3 dogs. that does that have to do with owning a home she has a big 3 bedroom home and a big back yard and her home owners assoc doesn’t care so this is just an excuse to pull more business out of florida. Florida is getting to be a rich person state as middle persons can’t own home anymore little on the elderly.

Posted by  Aaron Becker, New Tampa on 06/12  at  12:46 PM

Jeb Bush and the Florida legislature really need to step up to the plate and deal head-on with this issue.  In my mind, nothing else is more important.  The only way policy is going to be dictated to insurance companies is through the law.  Another idea is to institute a State income tax strictly for the express purpose of subsidizing the broken property insurance industry.  I for one would welcome this if it took care of the financial crisis once and for all and made the insurance companies happy.

Posted by  Jan Dunlap, Riverview on 06/12  at  12:42 PM

Until the homeowners in the Great State of Florida collectively get off their backsides, the insurance companies will continue to take advantage of us!!  Our family is covered by an excellent company that is solvent and always there when we need them, and I thank the good Lord we have it!  The citizens of FL continue to get gouged by insurance companies for Auto and Property because of the uninsured and the more we are NOT in Tallahassee in our lawmakers face to change things, we will continue to complain and do nothing the more we will continue to suffer abuse by these large conglomerates! We pay the highest premiums in the nation! Wake up!

Posted by  Debbie Ritter, Clearwater, FL on 06/12  at  12:13 PM

Citizens Insurance is not the last resort, it is the only resort homeowners have if there house is older than 12 years.  We, too, have never had a claim but were non-renewed this year from Tower Hill.  While Tower Hill has not dropped everyone in Florida, look out, they like so many others are pulling out.  I searched through every insurance agent in both Hillsborough and Pinellas County only to be told that Citizens was my only option.  My insurance went from $777.00 a year to $2800.00 a year.  This of course caused a deficit in my escrow account and with anticipating next’s years premium, I’m now paying $400.00 more a month for the next year to cover it.  Fortunately, my husband and I can afford this but I know this is not the case with most Floridians.  The government should step in...otherwise we’re going to be seeing a lot of Foreclosures in the months and years to come.

Posted by  Wiley Dunn, Sarasota on 06/12  at  12:06 PM

Unfortunately I think all the added development in Florida over the past 5-7 years has really lead to an unprecedented exposure in insurance claims given Florida’s geography. It’s not unexpected that rates would head towards the stratosphere. Maybe additional development projects at this point should be only considered with additional fees to establish a separate disaster fund that pays out to those who buy in the development. These payouts could be prorated depending on income, other factors etc… A true nightmare scenario may be on the horizon, a large cat 3-5 storm hitting on a large developed area with no natural wetlands, estuaries etc… to mitigate the impact.

Posted by  Jencey Brinson, Tampa, Florida on 06/12  at  09:40 AM

My mom passed away in Palatka, Florida in April of this year.  I was told by her insurance carrier that her mobile home is in “bad condition” and they could not renew her policy that expires in July. As long as my mom was living, insurance wasn’t a problem.  My mom made some improvements before she died, and it isn’t in the “bad condition” that the carrier said that it is in.  I believe the problem is that it is a 1979 Fleetwood mobile home that was built before the hurricane requirements were put in place.  I am a wife with a disabled husband and 3 small children and the only one that is working.  Please tell me how I am going to afford to pay this?  I don’t want to sell.

Posted by  Alicia H Anspaugh, Mulberry, Florida on 06/12  at  09:39 AM

Correct me if I’m wrong here...but isn’t it already law that if an insurance compay sells other types of policies here in Florida....they are REQUIRED to offer homeowner’s as well?!?!?!?! I though it WAS law!

Posted by  Amy Davis, Lakeland FL on 06/11  at  10:35 PM

Please don’t take out your frustrations on your insurance agent.  Remember we only represent the companies - we don’t make their rules.  It is just as frustrating for us when we are unable to offer coverage, or have to deliver news of a significant rate increase to a policy holder or deliver news of a non renewal.  Good luck if you are insured with Citizens - it is the insurer of ‘last resort’ Make sure you pay attention to all renewal dates and any & all notices you may receive from Citizens.

Posted by  B Lewis, Valrico, Fl on 06/11  at  04:33 PM

If the insurance companies want to insure your car and life then they should have insure your home. That should be the law in Florida. The insurance companies have gone for 30 years or more with minimal storm claims. Now they want to cut and run. Again deny them the license to sell other types on policies if they want to behave that way. I cancelled my Allstate auto ins. for that reason.

Posted by  Bill Patterson, land o lakes on 06/10  at  07:42 AM

We own 7 homes in Land O Lakes.  We have never had a claim.  Not only has our home insurance almost tripled in the past 3 years, we are on notice that 5 of the 7 homes will have their policies discontinued beginning next year, leaving us only with citizens, which wants double what we are paying now, excludes sink hole coverage, and that is before their requested 45 or so percent increase next year!  We have little faith that our government has any significant interest in anything tangible as a fix, as they are driven by popularity.  I know the difference between right and wrong, unfortunately our government is driven by voting, which often does not take right or wrong into account.

Posted by  Roswitha A. Smith and Robert J. Smith, 3161 Junction Circle Lakeland, FL 33805 on 06/09  at  03:31 PM

We are mobile home owners in a park where we rent the lot.  A big rotten and decaying oak tree in our front yard fell on the house 5-26-06.  We have been fighting with the park owners to remove the tree for over three (3) years.  They refuse saying the tree is our responsibility.  Please help.

Posted by  Jamie Grossfeld, New Port Richey FL on 06/09  at  02:07 PM

Well, here’s a good one. We never received a renewal notice from Citizens. Just received a cancellation notice from them in the mail today telling us we were cancelled because we didn’t renew. I wonder how many other homeowners with Citizens didn’t receive renewal notices? Just sent the payment by overnight mail. Good timing Citizens!