TBO.com > News > Latest News Reports
- Moffitt Among Quarterfinalists For Lott Award
- Two Women Thrown From Boat When It Hits I-75 Bridge
- Judge Imposes Stay On Lethal Injections
- Poll: More Coastal Residents Would Not Evacuate For Hurricane
- Robbers In Ninja Garb Strike Hampton Inn
- Deputy Is Accused Of Domestic Battery
- 2 Men Burst Into Home, Steal More Than $7,000
- Temple Terrace Man Wounded In Shooting
- Polk Deputies Charge 17 Men After Weekend Cockfight
- Baby Dropped Off At Fire Station
- Jury Awards $21.1 Million In Wrongful Birth Case
- Deputies Investigate Bank Robbery
- Grandpa Robbed; Grandson Charged
- Composite Sketch Of Armed Carjacker Released
- Progress Village Homicide Victim ID’d
By BAIRD HELGESON
The Tampa Tribune
Related: Video: Cleanup Scams | Pasco Twister | Photos | Insurance Dilemma
Members of a Pasco County nonprofit organization that formed to combat the skyrocketing cost of property insurance are heading to Tallahassee next month to lobby lawmakers for lower rates.
Members of Having Affordable Coverage Florida Inc. plan to take a bus to the Capitol on Jan. 16, which is the first day of a special legislative session called to deal with the state’s property insurance crisis. They expect to be joined by groups from Miami and Hernando County.
“This has got to stop,” said Chris Kowalczyk, vice president of HAC.
Throughout the state, property insurance rates have generally doubled as a result of billions of dollars in damage caused by hurricanes in 2004 and 2005. Rates in parts of Pasco County have increased dramatically more, largely due to millions paid in sinkhole claims.
The group plans to leave from West Pasco early, hold a rally on the Capitol steps, lobby lawmakers and return that evening. The cost is $25 and seats are available. For more information, go to: www.hacfl.org.
The group recently changed its name to reflect its broader mission. Originally, a group of Pasco County homeowners united against soaring rates by Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state-created insurer for those who can’t get coverage in the private market. They called themselves Homeowners Against Citizens, started a Web site and staged a rally in Tallahassee before the last legislative session.
But the group changed its name to Having Affordable Coverage to include all Floridians suffering from high property insurance bills, Kowalczyk said.
The group will arrive in Tallahassee with a list of ideas for lawmakers to consider.
They want lawmakers to make sinkhole coverage optional, which could reduce property insurance rates more than 40 percent in sinkhole-prone areas of Pasco, Hernando and Pinellas County.
They want lawmakers to require insurers that sell homeowner and auto insurance to offer both in Florida. Consumers and some lawmakers have become upset with insurers that refuse to write new homeowner insurance policies but reap huge profits selling auto insurance.
The ideas appeal to state Sen. Mike Fasano, R- New Port Richey.
“We’ve got to do something so people can stay in their homes,” he said.
Until we stop lobbyieist and special interest groups from buying our politicans and our laws we don’t have a chance in hell!
The issue made me crazy was that initially I sent in the payment in the form of a check written for an incorrect amount I misunderstood what husband indicated the bill was, and wrote check for about $40.00 less. Weeks later Citizens sent the whole check back uncashed with cancellation notice. After explaining they agreed to reinstate but added an addtional $500 to the total premium. It’s not as though we didn’t choke when we saw the original tripled premium-but talk about adding insult to injury. When is all of this going to end? Can’t anyone stop these idiots? This has to be “price gouging” and illegal. Why does Florida continue to allow insurance companies to write automobile insurance and not home owners--It should be all or nothing baby!
Is there any kind of petition that we can sign to support HAC in their efforts on our behalf?
My question is this what happened to all the money that they were paid for years and years did they not figure one day they may have to pay out.
Oh sorry that would cut some managers bonasses out. (Should the earth come to an end.)
See thats the problum in a nut shell they want to collect but first time they have to pay their broak and crying proverty. Seems like they should be saving for a rainy day.
And I am led to believe they still are holding back payments to those last 2 hurricanes. And trying every day to get the courts to steel from the policy holders. Maybe that lets them give big bucks to campain fund’s
Those poor people. They think the Legislators will do anything to help them over the money they take in from the insurance lobbiest????
The only thing that will fix the problem is for the State of Florida to get out of the insurance business and let the commercial insurers come back in. Right now theres no inventive for them to do that but theres a whole lotta incentive to keep cutting off the high risk policy holders, shed them to Citizens and cream skim the low risk policy holders.
the state should negotiate a contract with a carrier such as “nation wide” to
isure any fl. home owner, with the state underwriting them (rather than-
loyd’s of london, etc.); costs based strictly on historical 50 year claim historical data formulation. let the insurance company use their expertise with the state negotiating premiums and helping offset risks. The states home market and economy would be protected, and competition prices driven down. The contracted insurer
would make money on volume and real claim data, instead of artificially inflated premiums based on"estimated" or conjured risks.
I am glad they changed their name. I drove from Hernando County to NPR to join their group even though it was a Pasco County group at the time. I wish that I could go to Tally, but I am not yet retired. Everyone joining and paying the membership fee will, however, help further the cause. We all pay these outrageous premiums. Landlords just add it to the rent.
Advertisement
Posted by Nancy Rodenbach, Tampa on 12/29 at 10:17 AM
I give those folks credit, they are not sitting on their butts doing nothing but complaining about insurance rates like most people. We all need to do the exact samething. Write your legislators go protest, DO SOMETHING!