[sunrico90]

Wow, we had a wet Christmas and other pains that according to the news report had more than $32M in damages. Did anything happen in your area?

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/media/thumbnails/worldnowvideo/2006-12/27067773.jpg (broken link)

A day after a powerful Christmas storm tore across Florida, residents and public officials began to see the full extent of the damage today -- and to put a price tag on the devastation.

A tornado that touched down in Daytona Beach helped to cause more than $32 million in damage across the county, officials said this afternoon. The storm destroyed more than 50 homes in DeLand and Daytona Beach as well as a commercial building and three apartment buildings in the Daytona Beach area.

The tornado in Volusia County was one of three that touched down on Christmas, officials confirmed today. In Pasco County, officials reported about 80 homes were damaged or destroyed by an F-2 tornado, which has winds of 113 mph to 157 mph. An F-0, bringing winds of 70 miles per hour was confirmed near Leesburg.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/...home-headlines

[spotrod]

would this be considered wind damage like hurricanes by the insurance companys?

[macguy]

Originally Posted by Mark My Word

would this be considered wind damage like hurricanes by the insurance companys?

No, it is covered under the standard policy and with a common deductable, like $500 or $1000.

[pianogal]

Nothing happened here in East Orlando except that we got about an inch of rain in the pool in about 30 minutes. We needed that though!

[sunrico90]

THE NEWS ARE WORST THAN THE ACTUAL STORM

A powerful weather system, including at least one tornado, tore through the state Monday as Floridians were celebrating Christmas.



Volusia County seemed hardest hit in Central Florida, though Lake, Osceola and Sumter counties also were slammed by the fast-moving storm. On the leading edge of a cold front, the deluge trampled the region with rain and high winds that knocked down trees and power lines and damaged dozens of homes.

In Volusia, a twister walloped four DeLand-area mobile-home parks -- damaging 100 to 200 homes -- then went on to clobber a Daytona Beach apartment complex, where 200 people were evacuated. Two people were critically injured and five others received minor injuries because of the storm, said EVAC Ambulance spokesman Mark O'Keefe.

'I've heard the damage is widespread and pretty significant,' said Volusia County Fire Services spokeswoman Shelley Szafraniec. Search-and-rescue teams were expected to work throughout the night.

About 50 of 65 airplanes at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach were damaged when heavy winds threw them against buildings, snapped off wings or caused them to overturn, according to school spokesman Jim Hampton.

Roads were closed in both the DeLand and Daytona Beach areas because of downed power lines and storm debris.

National Weather Service forecasters in Melbourne said they had been expecting the El Nino-influenced deluge. Winds were clocked in some areas at tropical-storm speeds.

'The computer models have been advertising this storm for quite a while,' meteorologist Bart Hagemeyer said.

For some Central Floridians, however, the weather was like an unannounced holiday guest who arrives just in time to disrupt dinner.

http://www.[domain blocked due to spam].net/content/trb/1945209952012627217831755672102110388077?threadid= O29IN5S8RD264KL8 (broken link)

[sunrico90]

ONTACT: Nina Banister or Jeff Takacs
(850) 413-2842

TALLAHASSEE—The Department of Financial Services is advising that due to Governor Bush’s declaration of a state of emergency in Pasco, Volusia, Lake and Columbia counties as a result of widespread damage from tornadoes that struck on Monday the maximum fee that public adjusters can charge for tornado victims in those counties is capped at 10 percent of the claim payment.

Furthermore, public adjusters are prohibited from demanding or accepting any type of advance fees, retainers, or other compensation prior to any payment being made on the claim.

A new rule, which went into effect on September 3, 2006, triggers these consumer protections when the governor declares a state of emergency. Under the new rule, the fee cap will not expire for tornado victims regardless of when they may enter a public adjuster contract for a claim related to damages sustained from the tornado.

Public adjusters are not affiliated with any insurance company and are hired by the consumer for a fee which is usually stated as a percentage of the claim payment that the public adjuster is responsible for recovering. Independent and company adjusters work for insurance companies and do not charge fees to consumers.

Consumers should make sure they are dealing with a licensed public adjuster by calling the storm hotline or by logging on to www.fldfs.com to verify licensure of any adjuster, and should also read and understand any contract before signing.

The department has activated its storm hotline, 1-800-22-STORM (1-800-227-8676), to help storm victims with questions or complaints they may have with filing an insurance claim.

[tallrick]

Not even a branch broke here in Key Largo. This storm up north would not have caused damage if no development was in it's path.

[sunrico90]

The news sound like devastation, the state took a position on insurance. I'm just curious , why people don't tell us what happened? We have forum members in the area, no on reported the damages....