CFO Pushes for Faster Hurricane Settlements
January 28th, 2020 by Mike VasilindaMore than a year after Hurricane Michael tore through the Florida Panhandle, nearly 16,000 claims remain outstanding.
Florida’s Chief Financial Officer is pushing legislation that would require companies to settle most claims in 90 days or less, but a handful of Michael survivors have said companies only settled after pressure from regulators.
Melanie Hardwick said her company refused to settle because they said her damage was from flood not wind.
“They took my money, and they didn’t uphold their end of the contract. Here we are fourteen months later, and what is even worse is the inconsistencies of the insurance companies. Because I had neighbors to the right, I had neighbors to the left, had neighbors behind me and across the street that were paid up in full for wind damage,” said Hardwick. “How can my home not have wind damage?”
The legislation being proposed still lacks some specifics and the CFO concedes it is not a silver bullet, but a step in the right direction before another storm.
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