Gabrielle Russon
Following the devastating Hurricane Helene that unleashed winds and water, the state issued an emergency order to protect property owners from losing their insurance.
The emergency order from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation comes as Florida’s insurance industry was already in crisis before the Category 4 Hurricane Helene arrived.
Under the emergency order, insurance companies are not allowed to cancel or not renew policies for properties in the counties affected by Hurricane Helene from Sept. 26 to Nov. 26. The only exception is if property owners themselves request the policies be canceled during the period.
In Florida, the 41 affected counties declared under a state of emergency are Alachua, Bay, Bradford, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Columbia, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Hamilton, Hernando, Hillsborough, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lee, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Monroe, Okaloosa, Pasco, Pinellas, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington.
“Given the strength and size of Hurricane Helene, its expected catastrophic effect on Florida, and its potential impact on hundreds of thousands of policyholders, the Office expects all authorized insurers, surplus lines insurers, and regulated entities to implement processes and procedures to facilitate the efficient payment of claims,” the emergency order also said. “This includes critically analyzing current procedures and streamlining claim payment processes as well as using the latest technological advances to provide prompt and efficient claims service to policyholders.”
Hurricane Helene hit Florida as a Category 4 storm, unleashing 140 mph winds and a storm surge that caused historic flooding in Tampa Bay and along the Gulf Coast and destroyed homes throughout the state’s Big Bend region.
The hurricane also caused catastrophic flooding, which leveled homes and devastated communities beyond the Sunshine State in Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee and the Carolinas.
At least 125 people died across the South, according to the latest death toll.
On Sunday, Florida’s insurance industry was featured in a CBS News “60 Minutes” segment. The report said an estimated 50,000 homeowners are still battling with their insurance companies to settle claims stemming from 2022’s Hurricane Ian.
One comment
The Sage "E"
October 1, 2024 at 7:04 am
A greatfull State of Florida extends it’s thankfullness to both Ron & Casey Desantis for their wise leadership in this crisis.
The Sage “E”