[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by Cheezy

If you do that "MATH" insurance is "NOT" the same in all states. Our new home in TN will cost $500.00 insurance and $200.00 in taxes. The home we live in FL "WAS" 1,200 and insurance went to over $5,000.

What will a boycott accomplish? Last news on "China" there markets are doing so well. Remember, dog food, lead filled toys, etc etc etc.
Well, lets not go to china. Let's stay here in "America", how about the strike of the Air Controllers. Last I heard they were all "REPLACED". Of course, now I am almost revealing my age.

Why not go without insurance. When a person has a mortgage, (borrowed money from bank for home), it is mandated.

My point, which you misread, was that if the insurance companies are just out to get and gouge you.....why are rates ok in other states? You and I seem to be in agreement. I would note that Florida also has a medical malpractice crisis a while back and other states didn't. Hmmmmm.....could it be the laws, juries etc.?

I have no idea whom the rest of the post is directed towards but you seem to think a boycott (not buying the product) will work (??? hard to tell what your point is there) but then tell us that it's mandated....giving one part of the answer to your own question.

Besides, the government in Florida has already *saved* you. They now insure about 1/2 the state at rates they fully admit are not adequate so effectively they are well on the way to socializing homeowners insurance in Florida which is pretty much a boycott by intervention.

Frankly, I pray there are no hurricanes for a long time.

I am also reminding you to educate yourself with facts...go back and read the earlier posts about who actually sets the rates in Florida for the last 30 years. :-)

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by Huney1

First post so greetings to everyone. We're near Hilton Head, SC and Allstate dropped us along with thousands of others. Never filed a claim, homesteaded semi-retired and our insurance with Farm Bureau better than doubled and that held true with several companies we got bids from. Went from $1010. a year to $2200. a year. The SC insurance commission is supposedly doing an investigation but what can they do? Really a joke because the SC ins comm website FAQ's say an insurance company can cancel your policy within 90 days of writing it for any reason.

I'm in business and a customer told me USAA was the cheapest and if I had military service I qwualified. I was discharged in 1964 and went to the USAA website and it says "recently discharged" military. The customer assistance isn't open Sunday but I wonder if I qualify for USAA coverage?

This is my personal opinion and I am entitled to it. I believe Allstate sucks canal water and their slogan "You're in good hands with Allstate" is a farce and I hope they go broke and file bankruptcy.

We live close to the river and everyone in this area has a flood certificate. I had graduated high school in 1959 and hurricane Gracie hit us with 150 MPH winds and that will make a believer out of you.

I believe USAA has opened thier doors to everyone....but certainly retired military should be fine. They have a good reputation.

The likely reason you got dropped was because Allstate had to reduce their coastal exposure, I think I wrote more on that topic earlier. You shouldn't have too much trouble finding someone comparable.

Do you really think Allstate *wanted* to drop you? :-) ie. If you felt you were paying a fair long term price for the risk why would ANY company not want to write more business? There is a lot of pressure on companies to lessen their hurricane exposures. Much of this pressure comes from financial markets (ie. You if you own bonds and stocks) rating bureaus and even some of the states....although elected officials would never admit the states share some blame. :-)

[FFZS]

Originally Posted by Mathguy

Perhaps your neighbor shouldn't be such an **** to John and June lunchpail who are just doing their job and have nothing to do with setting rates etc.
Those rates are set by the federal government and shockingly if you build on a floodplain and didn't have the house built up or on a hill etc. shouldn't you pay higher rates?

Your neighbor is extra lucky to have a nice neighbor if they are such an abusive jackass in real life.

As a professional, I have discovered that alot of long term residences do not have their information updated to reflect the current floodzone designations, home owner's discounts, and windstorm discounts. It is up to the homeowner to make sure they have all the available discounts for their home.

Home owner's Policy (Security System, Smoke Detector System, etc)

Wind Storm (Shutters, Roof type/shape-with straps, etc)

Flood (Elev cert, current designation, CRA discount)

The current Insurance agent seems to not make a effort to go to the next step to help the customer, probably = loss of a larger commission.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by FFZS

As a professional, I have discovered that alot of long term residences do not have their information updated to reflect the current floodzone designations, home owner's discounts, and windstorm discounts. It is up to the homeowner to make sure they have all the available discounts for their home.

Home owner's Policy (Security System, Smoke Detector System, etc)

Wind Storm (Shutters, Roof type/shape-with straps, etc)

Flood (Elev cert, current designation, CRA discount)

The current Insurance agent seems to not make a effort to go to the next step to help the customer, probably = loss of a larger commission.

One of my favorite quotes...."Never attribute to malice, what can be explained by ignorance."

There are crappy insurance agents out there, it's why they have to carry malpractice insurance. ;-)

Sure, some are unethical....some even steal premiums. Heck, the insurance companies have to watch them even closer than the consumer in that they will try often try to "help out" their customers at the expense of the company.

My wife worked for a company that sold disability insurance and they had one salesman selling tons of it until they audited him and found out he'd spent the first 6 months at the company selling these policies to banned groups. Like firemen, chainsaw jugglers etc. :-)

Again, I work in the insurance industry...I've worked for both companies and consumers....I don't work for any personal lines insurers and likely never will...so I have no vested interest and only offer facts. I almost pity Florida's residents the financial catastrophe that will likely wash over them due to the citizens debacle....but I'm crossing my fingers that amazing luck holds and no hurricanes hit for many years so they have time to build some surplus. Otherwise, you guys have NO concept as to how big of a timebomb you are sitting on. The assessments alone will raise the cost of everything from your Auto insurance to the cost of groceries, rents....everything.

[yukon]

I believe USAA has opened thier doors to everyone...

Nope. Still active duty military, retired military, and family of either of those. So as a member via my dad (retired military), if I had kids, they could enroll via me since I'm a member.

The state legislature brought some of this upon the state themselves. I moved to the Panhandle about 3 weeks after Opal hit in 1995. I saw firsthand how well the Miami-Dade coastal building code worked - my cousin is an architect and many of his new houses (built to coastal code) remained standing, while houses built prior to the 1993 code changes were destoyed by the 15' tidal surge that Opal brought. However, for some stupid reason, the legislature voted to EXEMPT the panhandle area from the coastal code in 2000 (gee, can you say developer lobby?). Much of the damage from Katrina and Ivan could have been reduced had the code not been waived.

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by yukon

I believe USAA has opened thier doors to everyone...

Nope. Still active duty military, retired military, and family of either of those. So as a member via my dad (retired military), if I had kids, they could enroll via me since I'm a member.

The state legislature brought some of this upon the state themselves. I moved to the Panhandle about 3 weeks after Opal hit in 1995. I saw firsthand how well the Miami-Dade coastal building code worked - my cousin is an architect and many of his new houses (built to coastal code) remained standing, while houses built prior to the 1993 code changes were destoyed by the 15' tidal surge that Opal brought. However, for some stupid reason, the legislature voted to EXEMPT the panhandle area from the coastal code in 2000 (gee, can you say developer lobby?). Much of the damage from Katrina and Ivan could have been reduced had the code not been waived.

Thanks.

I read the national geographic article (I read them all) about 2 years before Katrina hit about how a CAT 3 would wreck New Orleans (go figure).

The current article in national geographic details the 27 times New Orleans has been more or less trashed by flood\storm since it's founding. It also points out how they stayed on high ground along the river until about 100 years ago when the decided to build on swamp land that they drained with pumps.

I am stunned at how many people, build on flood plains in a period of warmer ocean temperatures and increased hurricane activity and they can't figure out that they need flood insurance or that it might be expensive etc.

It is also funny that insurance is arguably the most heavily regulated and competitive product that you can buy....and that homeowners insurance has pretty tiny profit margins....and it's all conspiracy this and that. Most insurance market places function pretty well unless the politicians get involved and cause problems.

Barring a serious lucky stretch of no hurricanes, the people of Florida are just going to get hammered financially due to Crist and his predecessors populist tripe. Also, good luck collecting quickly from Citizens if a big one hits....they don't have the money on hand and have to go out and raise it. <sigh>

[RetGI]

Originally Posted by yukon

I believe USAA has opened thier doors to everyone...

Nope. Still active duty military, retired military, and family of either of those. So as a member via my dad (retired military), if I had kids, they could enroll via me since I'm a member.

The state legislature brought some of this upon the state themselves. I moved to the Panhandle about 3 weeks after Opal hit in 1995. I saw firsthand how well the Miami-Dade coastal building code worked - my cousin is an architect and many of his new houses (built to coastal code) remained standing, while houses built prior to the 1993 code changes were destoyed by the 15' tidal surge that Opal brought. However, for some stupid reason, the legislature voted to EXEMPT the panhandle area from the coastal code in 2000 (gee, can you say developer lobby?). Much of the damage from Katrina and Ivan could have been reduced had the code not been waived.

Only recently retired! I retired in 87' and I'm not eligible.....

[Mathguy]

Originally Posted by RetGI

Only recently retired! I retired in 87' and I'm not eligible.....

Was this move specific to Florida?
Back at the very beginning of this thread there was a really eloquent letter as to why USAA was scaling back in FL.