Print

Email story

Comment

Letter to the editor

Insurer draws state inquiry

Many say payouts after Hurricane Charley in 2004 were insufficient.

By TOM ZUCCO, Times Staff Writer
Published October 12, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Roosevelt Brady Jr.] Roosevelt Brady Jr. said his late wife Mary Foster Brady "couldn't take all the stress after the hurricane damaged our home."

Allegations from an Arcadia area resident that United Casualty Insurance Co. of America underpaid the claim on his home after it was severely damaged by Hurricane Charley in 2004 and then canceled his policy has drawn the attention of the Florida Department of Financial Services.

A DFS official said Thursday the state may also examine other similar cases.

David Fisher, a senior management analyst for the division of consumer services, said he has opened a file on Roosevelt Brady, one of more than three dozen former United Casualty policyholders who have filed suit against the company, saying they were paid in claims a fraction of their policy limit for heavily damaged homes. The plight of several of those DeSoto County homeowners, including Brady, was highlighted in a story Sunday in the St. Petersburg Times.

If Fisher thinks more scrutiny is needed, he said, cases would be forwarded to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation.

Dave Pettinato, a lawyer with Tampa's Merlin Law Group, has filed 44 breach of contract lawsuits against United Casualty, alleging claims were underpaid. (The company is not affiliated with United Property and Casualty, one of the top 20 writers of homeowners insurance in Florida.)

Pettinato said Thursday he plans to file six to 10 more lawsuits against the firm next week.

United Casualty has denied any wrongdoing and plans to fight the lawsuits. Company officials could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Craig Lastinger, the agent who sold most of the Arcadia policies and later filed a complaint against United Casualty, said he would "be more than happy to take him (Fisher) out to personally inspect the homes."

"One look is worth a million words," Lastinger said.

[Last modified October 11, 2007, 23:13:09]