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In February, 2009, my home caught on fire. It was devastating for my family. We had insurance. You get a false sense of security with insurance. If you think your insurance company is going to do right by you, think again. The insurance adjuster is not there to be your “friend.” Insurance adjusters are trained…

One fast-growing Florida homeowner insurer has had its rating pulled by its rating agency and reportedly halted new business while another domestic carrier is consolidating its business into one company from two. Northern Capital Insurance Co. — named the fastest growing small company in the nation by Inc. Magazine in 2009 —did not come up…

Palm Beach County Roofing and Sheet Metal Contractors Association CONSUMER ADVISORY BULLETIN For the past few years, South Florida homeowners have been solicited by an increasing number of scam operators, offering to install a new roof on their house for the settlement amount they obtain from the insurance company. As the October 24, 2010 deadline…

By Jennifer Reich, Elk Marketing Specialist Dallas — During the worst storms you can board up windows and doors around the exterior of your home, but you can’t board up your roof. Mother Nature can wreak havoc on your roof, one of the most exposed parts of your home. But, how do you know if…

Many homeowners don’t fully understand their property insurance policies and are at a disadvantage when negotiating with their insurers about repairs needed after a fire, theft, hurricane or other disaster. Public insurance adjusters assess damages, determine what the policy covers, document evidence to support claims and assess what repairs will cost. In Florida, they can…

A state audit released in January could spark a fierce legislative battle this spring and raises additional concerns about the viability of both Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (Cat Fund). State auditors found that Citizens’ policyholders who hire public adjusters wind up getting more money for their claims than those…

It’s hard to keep track of new legislation that affects home building and remodeling across the 50 states. Too often homeowners and re-modelers get going on a project that requires a local permit and suddenly discover they have to lay out additional money to meet building codes. I know people who have had to rip…

Representatives of Florida’s insurance industry and public adjusters — who represent policyholders in claims disputes — fiercely debated how to speed up repairs after hurricanes on Wednesday.

As of this fall, more than 2,000 homeowners were still trying to get claims paid from Hurricane Wilma in 2005. Delays keep people out of their homes longer and can make the damage worse. The gathering — focused on how to improve the so-called appraisal process — is the third on claims delays organized by Insurance Consumer Advocate Sean Shaw, who plans to make recommendations to state lawmakers before the annual legislative session in March.

A Florida online insurance agency found to have sold homeowners policies using unlicensed personnel will pay a $100,000 fine. The agency will also contact every customer affected and offer to rewrite their policies, under terms of a settlement reached with state officials. In March, Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink’s Department of Financial Services took legal…

One of Florida’s young property insurance companies, Magnolia Insurance Co., has been stripped of its financial rating by rating firm Demotech, Inc. Demotech assigned its Financial Stability Rating of A, Exceptional to Magnolia in October, based on what it said was extended discussion with the insurer’s management and the promise that a business plan with…