On September 9 2020, a thick orange haze above San Francisco, CA from wildfires. This photo is a daytime view of ash and smoke floating over the Bay Area. Recently, the California Department of Insurance released a list of 518 zip codes within or adjacent to this year’s wildfires where insurance companies are no longer […]
Like most scams, insurance scams are designed to separate you and your money. Even if you have never been the victim of insurance fraud, you are probably paying for it via a higher premium. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the average U.S. family pays between $400 and $700 per year in increased insurance […]
Many homes destroyed in central Texas flooding due to severe weather. As climate change starts to take its toll on the environment, it is beginning to impact homeowner’s insurance. If you were recently dropped by your insurance company or have seen a dramatic increase in your homeowners premium, you are not alone and there is […]
Assignment of benefit (AOB) scandals have pushed up homeowner insurance prices in Florida over the last decade and have been a thorn in the side of Florida lawmakers as they have struggled to pass legislation that effectively deals with the scams. We thought it might be helpful to look at just how AOB scams work […]
As financial losses mount for insurance companies in Florida, many insurers are ordering more home inspections at both the beginning of a policy as well as at renewal time. Insurers are hoping to force homeowners to fix problems that may turn into a claim or to justify dumping homeowners whose property they consider risky. This […]
Florida homeowners are moving to Citizens Property, the state-backed property insurer of last resort as the private market has become economically stressed, according the president of Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Citizens President and CEO Barry Gilway warned that an “unhealthy” private market is leading to increased policies at Citizens. The majority of problems stem from […]
Florida gains about 300,000 new residents every year and 2020 has been no exception, despite the challenges of the pandemic. Unfortunately, many of those new residents, as well as longtime residents of the Sunshine State will be looking at major homeowner insurance rate increases in the coming years. Florida is on the verge of large […]
According to a recent report from the United States Geological Survey, roughly half of all Americans are at risk for earthquake damage. The data shows that 143 million Americans live and work in areas that have at least some potential for earthquake shaking that could possibly damage houses and buildings. This breaks down to 57 […]
In Salinas, Monterey County, California, a “River Fire” was ignited by dry lightning on August 16, 2020. Smoke fills the sky as it burns close to houses on its first day. Californians have experienced numerous wildfires this year and many of them are still burning out of control which has led to many homeowners having […]
2020 is turning out to be quite a year for major storms. Named storms are forming at a record pace. Experts are predicting as many as 25 named storms to hit the Atlantic this season which is close to double the average number. Hurricane Laura has already done almost $12 billion in insured losses this […]