What’s next for tens of thousands of Florida homeowners dropped by insurance

Getting insurance for homes these days is difficult and often pricey.”Make sure the people who are giving us advice have our best interests in mind,” according to independent agent James Cleveland.Cleveland says he’s hearing from three to five people daily who have had their policies canceled, meaning his group, Insurance Services of Central Florida, has to search for new coverage for them.“If it’s a shingle roof house and it’s over ten years old, most carriers don’t want it,” Cleveland said.Companies already struggling because of major storm claims in past years and skyrocketing costs of roofs and other construction are scaling back who they’ll write policies for. Cleveland says having access to multiple companies can be a benefit.”Not every company is writing in your neighborhood or your zip code, so having the ability to market to multiple carriers is really important,” Cleveland said.Cleveland says with insurance rates going up the temptation is to get a lower premium by agreeing to actual cash value for a roof replacement. He suggests you insist on a replacement value.”After you’ve had that roof for five or 10 years, now you have a $20,000 replacement, and the insurance company’s only going to write you a check for three or four grand,” Cleveland said.He says paying for a four-point and a wind mitigation inspection might cost you a couple of hundred bucks, but it could make you more attractive to a new company.”Sometimes it doesn’t net the premium savings we want it to, but in most cases it does,” Cleveland said.He says to read past the deductible and premium page. Know what’s covered and what’s not long before you’ve got damage.”You’re buying a promise, it’s a piece of paper, a promise, but you want to make sure it’s the right promise,” Cleveland said. Cleveland says while a new roof is expensive, it makes your home easier to insure.