Governor Rick Scott has ordered top insurance regulators for Florida to freeze any efforts to increase home and property insurance rates, post Irma.
A news release from the governor’s office says the governor wants to make sure policy holders are dealt with as quickly as possible.
Governor Scott said, “As Hurricane Irma leaves our state, it is critical that Floridians have every resource available to quickly recover. By providing additional protections for consumers, we are making sure that each family has ample opportunity to get their claims filed in a timely manner.
“Throughout the preparation and response to Hurricane Irma, we have been in constant contact with the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) and the Department of Financial Services (DFS) to find ways to help our state recover. I know that CFO [Jimmy] Patronis and his team will quickly respond to the needs of Florida families, prevent fraud and quickly assess claims so families can get the service they deserve. We will not stop working until every family in Florida recovers from Hurricane Irma.”
The release also included direction given by the governor to Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier.
The Office of Insurance Regulation was a part of a hearing held last month about a proposal by Citizens Property Insurance Corp. During the hearing, Citizens discussed a possible insurance rate increase for many customers.
Other information from the governor’s office that may be useful related to insurance includes:
INSURANCE
- Floridians affected by the storm must now begin the process of surveying damages to their property and belongings. If you need help finding your Florida’s property insurance company’s website and contact information, click HERE. For a list of licensed insurance agents in Florida, click HERE.
- Consumers with questions about their policies and those who need help filing a claim should call the CFO’s free Insurance Consumer Helpline at 1-877-693-5236.
- It is important to document all damaged property and belongings. A free smartphone app developed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners called “MyHome Scr.APP.book” is available to assist with photo documentation.
- OIR has updated its “Hurricane Season Resources” webpage, which contains links to information provided by the Governor, Chief Financial Officer, Attorney General, Commissioner of Agriculture, Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Flood Insurance Program, and contact information for Florida’s property insurers.