Non-weather related water loss insurance claims in Florida are on the rise. So says Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater who heads up the Florida Department of Financial Services. The problem is so great that his Florida Consumer Advocate, Ms. Sha’ Ron James called for a summit and invited all stakeholders to attend. 

Mr. Atwater is not the only one sounding the alarm on water damage claim issues and its companion Assignment of Benefits (AOB). Based on my following the news on this hot topic it seems most insurance carriers in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach county areas are all in agreement that the situation is getting out of control and in fact may be critical, requiring rate increases and further reductions in insurance property policy coverages for water losses.

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First I want to share some atmospheric observations and conditions that are clearly changing in the Caribbean and may play into the El Niño, La Niña narrative. On my trip last week to the Leeward Island of St Maarten I had the opportunity to visit with old clients, friends and observe changes that have occurred since my last trip in 2015. 
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The following is a short primer and history lesson for the insured property consumer on these two fool’s errands. For those of us in the property insurance adjusting business, we see the storm clouds gathering given all the recent rhetoric about allowing a policyholder’s insurance company to repair their property following a covered loss.  Given our knowledge and experience, we know the likely outcome of this latest scheme to pump up underwriting profits, but my guess is not many laymen do.  Make no mistake about it, your policy premiums will not drop if these managed repair programs being touted as a savior for you and the insurance industry is approved by the Tallahassee regulators. The irony is that managed repair and its stepchild “option to repair” will most likely be bad for both the insured and the insurer. So given what may be the inevitable, let’s examine both of these repair schemes. 

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Insurance companies have started exercising their options to repair under many of their contracts. What this means is that they are bringing in contractors of their choice to fix the damages resulting from a property loss they cover. Let’s be honest.  They have a right to do this, but it often isn’t in the best interest of their customers when they choose to do so. Why?
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A great deal of information is being published regarding some insurance companies’ plans to implement so called “Managed Repair” programs. The rationale is that they will reduce costs (and I assume increase profits) by partnering with restoration contractors and some independent adjusting companies who supposedly will oversee the work and provide some sort of due diligence. This will lead to the latest scheme being proposed to a reduction in the cost of insurance premiums. So the most important questions we should be asking are: What’s the real cost to the policyholder and will rate increases continue despite these managed repair programs?

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For as long as I can remember, property policies had language that allowed insurance carriers to exercise their “right to repair” the policyholder’s property. There was always a catch for some of the insurers since there was generally a requirement that they had to give the policyholder 30 days notice after they received a proof of loss. Some policies may have had slightly different language, but for the most part if they missed a deadline date, they were out of luck.

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The 2016 Windstorm Insurance Conference is in the history books.  A final count determined over 1,050 claims professionals were in attendance in Orlando, Florida.  Registrations exceeded a lot of folk’s expectations this year given the lack of a major Cat event in the southeast. But this year’s success goes to show that the Windstorm Insurance Network, Inc. has evolved into much more than a regional conference. Super Storm Sandy is a reminder that there are shared experiences with other parts of the country and as the old saying goes, “knowledge and information is power.” The WIND Conference is in my opinion the place to go to enable professionals to enhance their skills and knowledge about property insurance matters. 

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Congratulation to Rick Tutwiler, who was presented the 7th Annual WIND Presidential Recognition Award at the Windstorm Insurance Network Conference in Orlando, Fl.  The award was established to recognize annually a member who has contributed significant knowledge, service and leadership to better the Windstorm Insurance Network (WIND). Rick was also elected as the 2016 Secretary of the WIND Board of Directors. It is wonderful to see Rick recognized for all of his extracurricular work to better the industry. All of us at Tutwiler & Associates Public Adjusters are proud of you.
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Hard to believe that 16 years has passed since a group of eclectic insurance professionals got together to start the Windstorm Insurance Network, an educational association dedicated to educating all the various parties involved in insurance loss adjusting issues. Prior to that first meeting, I would never have predicted that given the nature of all the opposing interests regarding not only high-dollar losses but also egos, complex insurance contract terms, as well as a host of fact issues of a loss from wind and other perils, that this endeavor would have been so successful. 

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Public Adjuster Rick Tutwiler will be part of an expert panel that discusses Wind vs. Wave Action at the upcoming Windstorm Insurance Conference from February 1-4. This highly interactive presentation will provide insurance professionals with practical information to help separate damage to structures due to storm wind from damage caused by storm surge. The presentation begins with education regarding wind loads and how buildings respond to wind force. Storm surge and how structures respond to rising water and wave action will also be highlighted...
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