Florida's Insurers Deny Over 37,000 Hurricane Claims

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Newsweek

Published Oct 24, 2024 at 7:38 AM EDT


Home insurance providers in Florida have denied more than 37,000 claims following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

According to data compiled by the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (FLIOR), as of October 23, 84.2 percent of claims relating to Milton and 68.2 percent of Helene claims are not yet complete, which will either result in a payment or the claim being denied.

Residential claims make up a considerable portion of compensation applications. Others include commercial property, private flood, business interruption, and commercial and private car insurance. Across a total of 359,391 claims made so far for both incidents, 37,796, or 10.5 percent, have resulted in no payment being made.

Hurricane Milton hit Florida at the beginning of October, killing at least 16 people and leaving millions without power. Two weeks earlier, Hurricane Helene had carved a path of destruction through several U.S. states, killing more than 200 people and causing widespread damage to homes and infrastructure.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/florida-insurers-deny-37000-helene-milton-hurricane-claims-1974123

[ProudMNDemocrat]

1. In other words Florida homeowners...

TOUGH SHIT! Live in Florida at your OWN RISK!

Sure makes one want to move down to Florida to live.

[dutch777]

4. Some of us can move at will, others are trapped financially or otherwise. I won't go to FL but feel for those stuck...

...there. The insurance companies can delay payments because the state needs all the insurers it can get and can't get too heavy handed.

[IronLionZion]

2. Plenty of opportunities for reform there

since Florida is such a high risk state, they won't have a diverse risk pool. That state is always going to have hurricanes and flooding with no end in sight.

[33taw]

3. The could apply for FEMA assistance. Although it is limited - it might help some.

[BumRushDaShow]

5. I expect most will

but for those who pay for insurance and get denied, it's a slap. It's like any other insurance (notably the medical ones that deny payment for certain procedures). Few there have the exorbitant flood insurance (which is 3rd party, managed the government).

[TexasTowelie]

9. It is surprising how many people learn that they need a flood insurance policy after the fact.

My gut reaction to reading the number of claims denied is how many of the claims were for flooding rather than wind damage?

Considering that is only a few weeks away from the hurricanes, anything that even closely resembles a legitimate claim would likely remain open. Therefore, to deny and close a claim this promptly would lead me to believe that there was either an absence of insurance coverage, an obviously fraudulent claim was filed, or the damage was less than the deductible on the policy.

As I indicated below, the denied claims can be reopened as documentation is submitted.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. I grew up in a household where all my life before heading out on my own

my mom would always caution that "insurance doesn't do water".

If you can show some kind of wind damage to a roof that allowed rain to come in and run down the walls in a bathroom, etc., then they'll usually cover it.

E.g., there was a tornado that tore up Ft. Pierce, FL (home of Loose Cannon) and those damaged homes/businesses would obviously have had severe wind damage if they were in or near the path.

But the *primary* historical reason for homeowner's insurance was for FIRE. Everything else was pretty much ancillary add-ons (including "acts of god", etc., for a higher premium amount).

[ananda]

14. I used to have two policies: flood and regular home insurance.

I lived in a tropical storm/hurricane zone at the time.

Alicia did some damage, but it wasn't that much
fortunately.

I was lucky. These days, I stay out of hurricane
zones.

That's why I moved to Austin. We did have Harvey
a few years ago, but it was wind, bluster, and rain
that moved through pretty fast.

[BumRushDaShow]

16. "We did have Harvey a few years ago"

Aside from where it made landfall at full force in Rockport (but managed to spare the famous and viral "blue shed" ) -

Harvey really did a number on those east of you. Some areas close to Houston had like a ridiculous 40" of rain because of how it got cut off from a steering flow, and then drifted back out into the GOM, refueled itself with moisture, and then came back inland again, drifting and looping over east TX for days. I have a BIL who was in Richmond at the time and managed to be mostly spared but I know there were people in Beaumont and Port Arthur were just flooded away.

[eggplant]

20. My homeowner's policy doesn't cover nuclear fallout...

...but does cover the ensuing fires and/or flooding.

Also, it does cover damage from weapons fire (say someone hitting the house with an RPG), but ONLY if it goes from outside in. If I accidentally fire one in my living room, then coverage is denied. Same with trees falling on the house -- they have to be outside to be covered.

I'm still unclear where I'm expected to file the fire/flood claim after the region has been turned to ash.

[BumRushDaShow]

22. "I'm still unclear where I'm expected to file the fire/flood claim after the region has been turned to ash."

"Online"... if a cell tower survived (or... urrrgggshhss "Starlink" )!

[Bengus81]

12. Yep...and most of those cover nothing in the way of furniture and other things

Strictly structural,electrical,drywall,plumbing. Some people carry it where I live because of some creek flooding over the decades and are just as surprised to find out what isn't covered by flood insurance that they pay out the nose for.

[BumRushDaShow]

13. "most of those cover nothing in the way of furniture and other things"

And in many cases, the regular base insurance might not either - UNLESS you pay "extra" for it. They will sell an "up to 'x' amount of (fill in the blank list of items like furniture, electronics, jewelry, etc." ), that can vary, and will increase the premium, depending on the coverage price range.

[LauraInLA]

17. Is flood insurance exorbitant, or is the price representative of the actual risk? Asking sincerely, as

I live in a (fingers crossed) non-flood zone.

[BumRushDaShow]

18. Here is FEMA's site for flood insurance

https://www.fema.gov/flood-insurance

They have a page with examples and median prices depending on home type/state/risk/other factors (with downloadable spreadsheets) - https://www.fema.gov/flood-insurance/work-with-nfip/risk-rating/single-family-home

(prices are annual and I expect is on top of whatever the regular insurance is)

[ProudMNDemocrat]

6. tRump has little use for FEMA, unless HIS property is damaged.

That agency is on his list of THINGS TO GET RID OF(because it costs too much money)!

[TexasTowelie]

7. There are legitimate reasons for denying coverage also.

For instance, filing a claim that is a result of flooding rather than wind damage would be one reason for denying a claim. Filing a claim where no coverage existed would be another (such as filing a claim with a prior company instead of the current company) would be another. Then there are claims that are obviously fraudulent.

Claims can also be reopened after additional information is provided by the policyholder so reporting this data relatively early in the claims settlement process may cause more fear and anxiety than is warranted. I do realize that it is stressful for those dealing with the aftermath and that there are bad actors in the insurance market, but the goal for insurers is to provide fair and prompt settlements for legitimate claims. To do otherwise is the equivalent of kicking the can down the road with more rate hikes as the result.

[twodogsbarking]

8. I've dealt with insurance companies. Hire a good attorney or two. Have them answer guestions.

[republianmushroom]

10. Insurance, peace of mine and that is about all.

[dlk]

15. If a homeowner has a federal flood insurance policy

The maximum coverage is: $250,000 for a single family residence building and $100,000 for contents.

[JoseBalow]

19. Keep rebuilding, suckers

[twodogsbarking]

21. The insurance companies should step up and move things along. I am, well, doubtful.