Democrat Charlie Crist urged homeowners to be vigilant following Republican Governor Ron DeSantis and Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis’ advice for dealing with insurance claims.
In response to a question about carriers not paying claims in a timely fashion, Patronis said, “the best solution is between you, your carrier, and [the Florida Department of Financial Services.] The more people you bring into it, the harder it’s going to be to get a settlement that’s fair for everybody.”
Governor DeSantis later echoed Patronis’ statement.
“When I was Florida’s Attorney General, we went after the insurers for failing to pay claims fully and expeditiously after a hurricane,” Crist said in a statement released by his campaign. “Floridians are now paying three times more for property insurance than anyone else in the country. My message to Floridians is simple: if you believe your insurer is shortchanging you, you do not have to take them at face value – seek a second opinion or legal advice. You paid your premiums for years and you deserve to be covered during your time of need.”
Prior to the storm impact, Crist blasted his Republican opponent as the worst property insurance governor in Florida history as a sixth insurance company was declared insolvent with a major hurricane approaching. The Crist campaign said Floridians now pay the highest property insurance premiums in the country, going from average premiums under $2,000 when DeSantis took office to over $4,200 today. DeSantis rate hikes translate to an additional $15 billion in DeSanTAX local homeowners are paying in 2022 alone, Florida Democrats claim.
“Ron DeSantis is the worst property insurance governor in Florida history, period,” Crist said. “Gov. DeSantis let these insurance companies double Floridians rates and they’re still going belly up when homeowners need them most. You pay and pay and pay, and the insurance company isn’t there for you in the end anyway.”
The Crist for Governor campaign today released an online tool to encourage Floridians to share stories about how the property insurance crisis – before and after Hurricane Ian – has impacted their lives. Earlier, Crist called for Gov. DeSantis to provide emergency, 90-day coverage for homeowners who were dropped by their failing companies.
As Governor, Crist called a special session that stabilized the insurance market, held insurance companies accountable, and lowered rates 10%. The Democratic campaign says their Affordable Florida for All plan includes detailed suggestions to fix the problem.
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