FLORIDA – Citizen Property Insurance denied 77% of homeowner claims due to Hurricane Debbie, according to new data from the Allbritton Institute for Journalism.
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Hurricane Debbie was the first of two major hurricanes to hit Florida back-to-back within two weeks.
Debbie is estimated to be liable for $1.4 billion in damages, including:
$845 million in wind damage
$130 million in storm surge
$440 million in inland flooding
State-backed property and casualty insurance companies confirmed to News4JAX that they denied 77% of the claims they received. This is because the insurance claims were for flood damage that Citizens did not cover.
“Debbie was primarily a flooding event for us. Citizens, like most other insurance companies, does not cover floods. It makes sense that the denial rate is high.
FEMA requires denial of coverage before providing assistance. In fact, we encouraged policyholders to file flood claims even when they knew they would be denied so that they could begin negotiations with FEMA and get the help they needed. ”
National Property Insurance Public Relations Officer
Mark Friedlander, a spokesman for the Insurance Information Institute, encouraged Floridians to purchase private flood insurance.
“Florida property and casualty insurance policies, whether home, condo, or renters policies, clearly define that flood coverage is excluded and is not covered separately through the National Flood Insurance Program or a private insurance company. We have to take it,” Friedlander said.
Friedlander said FEMA is helping thousands of flood victims, but doesn’t suggest people expect the government to pay the full cost of the damage.
“Don’t expect FEMA to make up for your losses. You can apply for a grant and you might get accepted. You can’t, but I will. FEMA grants are not a replacement for insurance. They provide immediate access to emergency funds to help you and your family recover. “It’s not a payment,” Friedlander said.
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Across all insurance companies in Florida, as of September 27, 51% of home insurance claims related to Debbie had been terminated without payment, according to the report.
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