S Florida Homeowners insurance?? (buying a home, buying, tornado)

[Phinz13]

Im moving to S Fla in a few months and am in the process of buying a home. Problem is, Im having trouble getting a homeowners insureance quote. Ive been told by Geici, Statefarm and Progressive so far that they are not writing any new policies. Does anyone know of an insurance company that is currently tking out new policies?

[doggiebus]

Many insurance companies don't right policies in many parts of South Florida and if they do right you a policy be very skeptical. It's been this way for a long time, the big insurance companies don't want to take the risk in high risk areas anymore. There are plenty of AAA rated companies be careful going with these smaller insurance companies, if you do a little digging you will find that AAA rating doesn't mean much.

Your one and only choice is usually Citizens https://www.citizensfla.com, the state run insurance company. I have gotten requests to leave Citizens for these smaller "AAA" rated companies and I reject them every time, because they won't have the money if a Sandy type storm comes... I hope you have done your research and know insurance rates in South Florida are high!

[gbugmiami]

Good luck. Our government allows companies to write policies in states where they make more money and lets them not write in states that may cost them more money. This is something our government should fix. Insurance is a risk businesses, if people in Kansas pay .05 more towards hurricane coverage for us, maybe that will offset the money i pay state farm to offset earthquake and tornado damage that doesn't happen here, but happens in other places. Witt the insurance lobby it will never happen but, if they were required to write in florida (even at stupid rates), to be eligible to write in other states, it would be better for everyone. I have gone through several insurance issues with citizens (never a claim in 12 years of owning a home), and just cant believe the hoops they put us floridians through, due to no choice.
p.s. as an aside, one of my friends (evacuee) from miami related to central florida, where he paid 1/4 of what he paid in insurance on his new home up there, and had 3 hurricanes pass over him the next year. Who subsidizes that? the folks in south Florida that pay the exorbitant rates of course.

[doggiebus]

^^^I think this might change. I hear their rates are going up in Central Florida, as well. Not for hurricanes, even though they got hit by all those hurricanes in 2005. They are getting hit with higher rates for Sink Holes. Insurance companies have figure this is a good cover for why their policy rates have to rise in Central Florida. I agree we need some sort of National Group Plan for disaster insurance, ever place int his country has some sort of threat. May it be hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, wild fires, avalanche, volcanoes, hail storms, etc.

[Phinz13]

thanks for the info, it looks like I will likely end up with Citizens. Does one have to go through an agent to get Citizens? or is it possible to go directly to them? Im having a hard time on their site

[valicky]

If you get your car insurance through AAA they will co-write an homeowner's policy. I just got a quote from them. At least it will give you something to compare rates with.