As we continue to closely monitor Nicole, we wanted to provide you with a few updates.  As Florida learns 2022 midterm election results, undecided is how Nicole will impact insurance companies and how they treat policyholders. We are seeing a steady stream of denied and marginalized claim payouts keeping Ian victims from a fair claim recovery. Here’s what Nicole victims should expect looking beyond the center of the track:

Nicole is set to begin its sweeping move around an east coast ridge as it slowly intensifies and makes landfall with a wind field so large that tropical storm conditions are expected in most areas of the State.  Our clients in Daytona Beach Shores are telling us that ocean waves are rolling onshore, with nothing to stop them except what’s left of pools and concrete slabs. Thanks to Ian, there are no beaches and there are no dunes. These beaches are like open wounds to the condos, homes, and hotels that line the shoreline.

In the coming days, Florida’s east coast will see coastal flooding from point of Nicole’s landfall and north bringing hurricane conditions, including flooding, rain and wind damage to communities and residents devastated by Hurricane Ian.  Our thoughts are with those still recovering and we hope everyone will be cautious and remain vigilant.

One thing we call all agree on, is that everyone in Florida is completely vulnerable as the groundwork has been laid by the industry in their response to Ian claims that: “Flood, rather than Wind claims are going to drive losses.”

Florida residents need to understand the many reforms enacted this year by our legislature and specifically Florida’s 25% Roofing Rule that is no longer in place to safeguard communities against good roofing construction practices among other changes the legislature changed to fix our market crisis this past summer.  This is precisely why our longstanding building codes should not have been overridden by our legislature and it’s playing out in everything we are seeing in post-Ian claims for the last 43-days, hindering recovery efforts as insurance companies are paying for roof patch jobs when before payments were made to repair/replace roof damaged buildings to their pre-loss conditions that hardened communities from further disasters against wind damage impacts such as Hurricane Nicole. 

Florida’s property “insurance crisis” this year will be put to the test and especially so for homeowners coping with rising policy rates, looming surcharges from poorly managed carriers, and the slow recovery of Florida’s resort towns impacting hospitality business, real estate markets, and tourism economies well into to next year.  We will be updating you on Understanding Hurricane Percentage Deductibles and providing more valuable information on 553.844 Windstorm loss mitigation; requirements for roofs and opening protection that will be reviewed in a special legislative session scheduled in December. Let’s hope they don’t leave any coal under the policyholders’ or their advocates trees.

If you have any questions or concerns surrounding Hurricane Nicloe or Ian do not hesitate to reach out to our team via email; Info@PublicAdjuster.com 866-296-1620 visits our website PublicAdjuster.com and follow our On Property Blog. 

Stay safe Florida!