We are already one month into hurricane season here in the Four Corners Area, and we got a little taste of what’s to come with our first hurricane, Elsa. Hurricane season always makes me think about insurance and protecting my most significant investment. It is always a good idea to review your homeowners’ insurance policy at least once a year to make sure you are adequately covered. This year I’ve talked to quite a few people who have been dropped by their insurance companies, myself included. It is no fun to be left scrambling and uninsured right before hurricane season.

The main reason so many companies are dropping homeowners according to the Insurance Information Institute is fraudulent claims. They report that insurers lost $1.6 billion in insurance claims and litigation last year alone. The insurance industry believes that most of these losses come from roofing companies offering incentives for homeowners who agree to have their roofs assessed for storm damage. These companies then submit a claim on the homeowners’ behalf, years after the damage was sustained.

These losses have forced insurance companies to check up on the quality of their policyholder’s roof. I’ve heard from homeowners whose insurance company has told them to either put a new roof on their home or they will lose coverage. In most cases, the roofs were only 8-10 years old. There have even been reports of insurance companies using drones to fly over and take pictures of the quality of your roof.

This year lawmakers introduced Senate Bill 76, an industry-wide effort to cut down on roof claim fraud and help insurance companies recoup money lost in litigation. Governor Desantis signed the bill into law, and it took effect on July 1st. Now contractors will be fined $10,000 if they are caught offering incentives for claiming roof damage on behalf of homeowners. Homeowners will now only have two years to report the damage. Limits have also been placed on the amount of money lawyers can make when representing a homeowner’s claim.

You might be asking yourself, what does this all mean for me? Some say this is a win for the insurance companies. In opposition to this bill, many who spoke in Tallahassee were homeowners who were affected by losses from Hurricane Michael that insurance companies have refused to help with. If you are like me and were dropped by your current insurer and can prove that you can not find affordable homeowner’s insurance, you have another option. Citizens Property Insurance Corp. provides insurance for those who can not get private insurance. More information about Citizens Property Insurance Corp. can be found here. While I can’t offer expert advice, having gone through this myself, I can help by sharing my experience.