In February, United Property and Casualty Insurance Co. (“UPC”) was declared insolvent and went into receivership.  This left thousands of Florida homeowners—many still with damage from Hurricane Ian—scrambling to find insurance coverage.  Most turned to Florida's insurer of last resort, Citizens Property Insurance (“Citizens”), but many are still struggling to obtain coverage due to the existing damage in their homes.  To assist these homeowners Citizens recently offered homeowners an additional ninety (90) days to work to obtain coverage.

To Obtain Coverage You Must Submit Proof You Are Working to Fix Your Home

Proving you are working to fix your home has proven a real problem for many homeowners with Hurricane Ian damage because there is a severe shortage of contractors right now in southwest Florida.  Hurricane Ian's 160+ mile winds ripped through Florida in September 2022 causing billions of dollars in damages.  Repair efforts consumed contractors statewide, leaving average homeowners severely disadvantaged in trying to find local, reputable contractors to commit to undertake repairs to their home.  However, to obtain coverage Citizens wants to see that your home is in good condition or, if it is damaged, that you are working to fix the damage to your home.  So, what constitutes proof that you are working to fix your home? 

Photo courtesy of Insurance Journal

Citizens' Extension Grants an Additional 90 Days to Submit a Signed Contract for Repairs

This is what homeowners with Hurricane Ian damage are struggling to obtain in order to secure insurance coverage from Citizens: a signed contract for repairs.   This is the reason Citizens has offered an additional 90 days to give homeowners some more time to find a contractor and get a signed contract for repairs.  This extension was announced on Wednesday, April 5th and gives homeowners with Hurricane Ian damage until June 27, 2023 to submit a signed contract for repairs to Citizens to obtain coverage.  Policyholders need only show that they have entered into—i.e., signed—a contract for repairs, not that the repairs have yet begun. 

You can read more about Citizens' 90-day extension here.

Do You Need Help With Your Hurricane Ian Claim?

If you were insured by UPC and are struggling to get your Hurricane Ian damage repaired or obtain coverage after UPC went under, you should contact an experienced insurance attorney to help you with your insurance claim.  Before hiring any insurance attorney, ask them these five important questions first and make sure you are satisfied with their answers.  Never forget that the decision who to hire is up to you.  At Taylor, Warren, Weidner & Hancock, our experienced insurance attorneys have been helping homeowners with hurricane insurance claims as far back as Hurricane Opal in 1995, and we never charge any fee or cost to simply answer your questions and review your insurance claim.  Do not hesitate to contact us for help with your hurricane insurance claim.