It finally happened.... (Tampa: homeowners insurance, house, earthquakes)

[tonynorie]

Well, after living in the same home for 31 years (I survived 2 wives, 5 dogs and countless cats!) I got a notice from Nationwide Insurance today that my homeowner's insurance is being cancelled.......due to the losses they've incurred from higher than normal hurricane damage.

Did anyone else on this forum get cancelled? What's the next step for folks like me?

By the way, I don't feel a huge necessity to be covered for hurricane damage in light of the fact that the statistical odds of one striking Tampa is one percent in any given year -- but I do want to be covered for fire and liability.

[PG77]

I am truly sorry to hear about your homeowners insurance being cancelled. I just moved from Florida back in May, but I didnt have a home or was not faced with your situation, so I cant really give you any advice on what to do. But I just have to make a statement. Insurance companies are about the biggest legal ripoff there is. As much money as they collect from all the other people in the United States who never have hurricanes, fires, whatever, or make claims, you think they would have more than enough to cover the other states that do. Why our government does not do anything about this is beyond me. I think we as citizens need to stand up against this sort of thing and try to do something about these insurance companies.

[Keeper]

Tony you are lucky it didn't happen before now. If you are over 50 years young, try AARP insurance, not sure if they are still writing in Fla but it is worth a look. They were cheaper than other places when I was looking for HOI.

You might call Citizens (state insurance) and find out who will write insurance in your area.

TampaKaren posted this website in another thread regarding insurance carriers in FL

Compare Homeowner's Insurance Rates

[bentlebee]

I'm so sorry to hear about this. Hanover Insurance is still writing insurance in Florida/Tamapa and is not so expensive as what I heard from other home owners. I'm not working or in any way related to any insurance company. Loyd's of London is also an option but I'm not sure if they still take new customers. Good Luck.

[CJFlorida]

If you don't want hurricane coverage, you can find another carrier, such as Hanover. If you do want hurricane coverage, you will very likely have to enter the state run Citizens Insurance program. As you own your home I assume, the choice is yours whether to have hurricane coverage and at what level.

[lorriem]

Welcome to the club. Allstate dropped us last april after 25 years and no claimes. We went to Tower Hill prior to the date Allstate would not cover us and got a refund from Allstate. Tower Hill was only a few hundred dollars more then our Allstate Ins was.I thank this board for guiding us through that stressfull time and suggesting a few ins co's.

[daniellefort]

Yes we too were dropped from Allstate never putting in a claim. Our premium is now with Royal Palm which was taking over most Allstate claims but they were the cheapest for us even though our premium went $900. So far i'm a little worried just with their billing plan. We signed on for the 4 payment plan and after making our first payment, they billed us for the entire balance to be paid in full.... well since we had the money aside, we paid the balance in full only to get another bill the following month for an additional $200 because they said our house was under insurance according to their home inspector who never stepped foot inside my home. They required to insure us for $25,000 more than what the bank requited just 2 months prior. Just call around and see who's writing new policies.. that's all you can do.

[stpeteguy]

Yeah, citizens is raping me these days, along with most every homeowner in the tampa bay area.

We haven't had a hurricane in 2 years and still they cite "higher than normal hurricane activity", as the reason for dropping you. go figure

[Petertherock]

As a conservative I am generally against government interfering with private business but in the case of these criminal insurance companies I am all for government intervention and levying of heavy fines for dropping customers for no reason. I don't feel hurricane activity is a good reason. They chose to do business in Florida, they knew that Florida will get hurricanes. Just as they know that California will get earthquakes and fires and just like they know the northeast will get floods and nor easters.

And don't even get me started on what I think the government should do to the oil rip off compaines. Although a large part of the problem with oil/gas is the government not allowing new refinieries to be built and not allowing drilling in Alaska. But that's a whole other subject.

But it's not right what the insurance compaines are doing.

[tonynorie]

Thanks to all that responded to my tale of woe......I appreciate it. I didn't mention it in my post but I'm another one of those that got cancelled even though I've never had any claims.....Nationwide cited the 'high incidence of hurricanes' as their reason.

I'm going to call them on it and tomorrow I'll ask them if they will continue my policy if I drop the hurricane coverage and see what the response will be.....but if they won't continue to write it I'll investigate the companies that some of you recommended........

Thanks again for your help!