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Hurricane Dennis
Insurance companies get set for Hurricane Dennis' arrival
By Times Staff Writer
Published July 8, 2005
Thousands of out-of-state insurance adjusters were put on alert Thursday to prepare for Hurricane Dennis' weekend landfall, and many insurers stopped writing new homeowners' policies statewide in a reluctant drill refined repeatedly during last year's storm-crazed season.
"We're ready," said Sam Miller of the Florida Insurance Council. "We believe this has potential to be a very major hurricane - Ivan-like, I guess. It's going to require a lot of resources."
Coordinating with the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, insurers began seeking emergency licenses that would allow non-Florida adjusters to process claims.
Allstate set up a staging area in Baton Rouge for a fleet of four or five "mobile response units" that can be sent to hard-hit areas and allow homeowners to file claims and collect checks, spokesman Ryan Priest said.
Early Thursday, the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Co. stopped writing new policies throughout Florida. The company, which covers those who cannot find insurance on the open market, stops writing new policies whenever a tropical storm watch is issued anywhere in Florida.
Other top insurers, including State Farm and Allstate, were expected to follow suit in regions that come under storm watch.
[Last modified July 8, 2005, 01:17:59]
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