Chris Ennist of New Port Richey was glad the state is coming to the aid of homeowners getting dropped by their insurance companies. It just came a bit too late for her.
Not long after Hurricane Charley swept through southwest and central Florida, Ennist received notice she was being dropped by her homeowners insurance company, a subsidiary of Travelers. The reason: The insurer said it was overexposed to risk in her area.
Unfortunately, the letter was dated Aug. 27. It wasn't until Sept. 10 that Kevin McCarty, director of Florida's Office of Insurance Regulation, set a moratorium against insurers' dropping policyholders in all of Florida's 67 counties through Nov. 30. His order was spurred by the widespread damage caused by Hurricane Frances.
Before then, the moratorium was limited to areas directly affected by Hurricane Charley, which did not include New Port Richey.
Ennist, who had been with Travelers 19 years, expected to join the rest of the Florida residents now getting higher-priced insurance from Citizens Property, the state-run insurer of last resort.
"I'm sorry we get hurricanes, but it's not something we asked for," she said in frustration. "What are the people of this state supposed to do? We're all supposed to move out?"
