Maria Yoder Insurance

10/19/2022

Many insurance companies have paused insuring in Florida until they have a better handle on their losses from the hurricane, says Joseph Gendelman, president and CEO of Bruce Gendelman Insurance Services.

05/20/2021

https://www.wtsp.com/mobile/article/entertainment/television/brightside/50000-more-florida-homeowners-insurance-policies-to-be-dropped-with-hurricane-season-looming/67-5eede9a1-1fea-4343-a97a-f2940cd9d064

"Everybody who owns a home in Florida potentially is impacted by what's happening with the private insurance market."

05/19/2021

3 companies dropping more than 50,000 Florida home insurance customers

More than 50,000 Floridians are about to lose their home insurance, and many of those people have not been told that yet. This comes as the start of hurricane season is less than two weeks away.

05/05/2021

Over the years there have been many attempts to fix, sunset or even repeal Florida’s no-fault system. The result has consistently been the same: Florida remains the most fraud-prone state in the nation with motorists paying some of the highest insurance premiums around.

This year, legislators have finally succeeded, passing a bill to repeal PIP (personal injury protection) while mandating bodily injury coverage. Provided there are no successful court challenges to overturn this, the law will be effective January 1, 2022.

Ailing Florida insurance industry
While well-intended, the concern is that this bill does not go far enough to fix what is ailing the insurance industry in Florida. After all, we are a state where runaway jury verdicts on questionable injury claims have become commonplace. Residents are barraged with trial lawyer advertisements boasting of large verdicts.

Adjusters are routinely threatened with bad faith for simply doing their job of investigating claims. From Jacksonville to Miami and Pensacola to Key West, accident victims are being diagnosed with “disk” injuries that in most other states will be nothing more than soft tissue damage or aggravation of a pre-existing condition.

In looking at this year’s legislation, Florida HB 719, and corresponding SB 54, seek to eliminate the mandatory $10,000 in PIP coverage currently required of motorists, replacing this with a requirement for motorists to have mandatory bodily injury coverage of $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident. Currently, Florida does not require motorists to carry bodily injury coverage.

The general consensus among consumer groups and the media is that this will result in a disproportionate number of lower-income residents having to pay more for insurance. This is likely true, although people already carrying more coverage will potentially see decreases in premiums. There is also concern that more Floridians will opt to simply not have insurance. While Florida is already among the leaders in the nation with more than 20% of vehicles on the road being uninsured, this could potentially happen, due to the legislature lacking the foresight to penalize those who opt to break the law by barring them from suing for pain and suffering as many other states have done with great success.

From a personal responsibility standpoint, abolishing PIP is the right thing to do. Far too many people drive around with basic mandatory coverage of PIP and PD only and have had no requirement to be responsible when they injure others. Florida is the ONLY state that has no requirement for drivers to carry BI coverage. While two states (New Hampshire & Virginia) don’t require auto insurance, both do have requirements to post some type of bond to protect the general public. This has resulted in Florida uninsured (UM) and underinsured (UIM) premiums being among the highest in the nation.

The second critical factor is that PIP was designed to limit litigation by barring suit for soft tissue injuries. For decades, the majority of claims presented by motorists are just that and are most often paid, despite the tort threshold that was supposed to limit these claims. An effective PIP law is only as effective as the enforcement of the thresholds designed to keep litigation in check, which Florida has failed to do over and over again.

The third critical factor is fraud. PIP fraud is rampant throughout the state, and PIP litigation has become a highly lucrative cottage industry. While this reform may address both of these costly problems, fraud is not going away. I began my career investigating insurance fraud in south-central Los Angeles, where there is no PIP. It is a tort system used by cappers to enlist pawns to stage accidents and pursue third-party BI claims. Until fraud in Florida is addressed with specificity, it will continue at an ever-increasing rate.

Recommendations for legislators
To truly make this new legislation work for the benefit of consumers, legislators should consider the following:

The elimination of PIP creates its own new set of challenges. While it is one less coverage that will be prone to fraud, the shenanigans we see today will simply be pushed to BI and UM (uninsured motorist) line coverages, so any savings will be dubious at best.
We need to modify the negligence law so that parties more than 50% at fault for a loss are barred from recovering damages from a third party. Currently, under Florida’s pure comparative negligence doctrine, a person who is 99% at fault is still allowed to sue for damages.
No pay, no play. Florida needs to bar uninsured motorists from recovery of non-economic damages, a solution effectively implemented in several states.
Cap attorney fees.
Cap tort damages for “pain and suffering.” Include a “loser pays” provision that applies to not only the plaintiff but their counsel.
Allow “bad faith” only in the rare situations in which an insurer truly does not honor their fiduciary duties. Enact penalties for trial lawyers who engage in so-called bad faith “setups.”
Allow a reasonable amount of time to investigate suspicious claims.
Give law enforcement the teeth necessary to pursue fraudsters while holding insurers harmless during their investigations.
Enact caps associated with Medicare and/or workers’ compensation, on treatment for soft tissue injuries, which comprise the vast majority of cases clogging our courts.
While the proposed legislation is well-intended, it is unclear if there will be a quantifiable benefit to Floridians. Two things we do know: staged accidents will continue at an alarming rate and, if prior legislation to fix auto insurance in the Sunshine State is any indication, premiums will not decrease.

Additional steps needed
This is precisely why there are additional steps that the legislature should take to ensure a truly meaningful bill that will benefit consumers. By understanding the greater problem, legislators can give teeth to whatever bill they ultimately pass. Getting rid of PIP is the first step, but do not think for a second that rates will decrease or fraud will go away.

07/29/2020

Understand Your Homeowner Insurance Policy:
It’s essential to understand what the
homeowner’s policy does and does not cover.
Most importantly, homeowner’s insurance does
not typically provide flood coverage, whether
inland flooding or storm surge. This makes it
crucial to obtain separate flood coverage for
properties in vulnerable areas.
The typical homeowner’s policy provides the
following coverage:
Coverage A – The dwelling and attached
structures.
Coverage B – Other structures, including
sheds, fences, mailboxes, detached porches or
decks.
Coverage C – Personal property within the
home, including appliances, clothing, furniture,
televisions, jewelry and other items that
are not specifically excluded or limited. This
excludes the personal property of a roomer or
boarder not directly related to the insured.
Coverage D – Loss of Use. This provides
broad coverage for additional expenses
resulting from property damage. For instance,
temporary housing expenses for hotels and
meals above normal expenses.

06/11/2020

As you may know, hurricane season is upon us once again and will last through November 30th. This year we encourage all Avatar policyholders to take the time to prepare their families and homes for hurricanes and related impacts. Hurricanes are one of nature’s most powerful and destructive natural disasters that we face. It only takes one to change your life.

As the season begins, now is the time to prepare. Here is what you can do to get ready:

Know your Risk:

To search for general information about risks in your area, visit https://www.ready.gov/florida. Hurricanes are not just a coastal problem. High winds, heavy rainfall, tornadoes, and flooding can be felt hundreds of miles inland, potentially causing loss of life and catastrophic damage to property.

Get Prepared:

As the storm approaches, it is often too late to get ready. After reviewing the attached How to Prepare for a Hurricane, make sure you:

• Know your zone. Evacuations are more common than people realize. Make yourself familiar with your community’s evacuation zones, so you’ll know exactly where to go. Remember: if a hurricane threatens your community and local officials say it's time to evacuate, don't hesitate -- go early.
• Complete a family communication plan. Plan how you will assemble your family and loved ones, and anticipate where you will go for different situations. Get together with your family and agree on the ways to contact one another in an emergency, identify meeting locations, and make a Family Emergency Communication Plan.
• Download the FEMA app. The FEMA app includes disaster resources, weather alerts, safety tips, and a new feature that will enable users to receive push notifications to their devices to prepare their homes and families for disasters. The app also provides a customizable checklist of emergency supplies, maps of open shelters and recovery centers, tips on how to survive disasters, and weather alerts from the National Weather Service.
• Check your insurance coverage. Many states have increased deductibles for hurricanes and not all hurricane-related losses are covered under traditional policies. Most homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover damage or losses from flooding. Review your policy, ensure you’re adequately covered and understand exclusions, and contact your agent for any changes to ensure that your limit is adequate to rebuild your entire home. If you’re not insured against flood, talk to your agent or visit www.floodsmart.gov. Renter’s insurance policies are also available and should be considered as a way of protecting your belongings.
• Prepare an inventory of your possessions. This can be written, video tapes or photographed. Store these documents away from your home so they will not become damaged in the event of a catastrophic situation.
• Stockpile emergency supplies. This should minimally include: one gallon of water per person per day, canned goods, non-perishable foods, manual can opener, candles, batteries; and flashlights, portable radio, prescription medicines, matches in a waterproof container, first aid kit, and sanitation items (moist towelettes, toilet paper, and paper towels). Don't forget formula, diapers, etc. for small children and food and water for pets. Have enough supplies to last your family a minimum of three days; preferably five.
• Have dead tree branches trimmed, particularly if they extend over your house.

State Information Florida Division of Emergency Management 2555 Shumard Oak Boulevard Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2100 (850) 413-9900www.FloridaDisaster.org Local Information Broward County Emergency Management Division 201 NW 84th Avenue Plantation, Florida 33324 Phone: (954) 831-3900 Fax: (954) 382...

05/07/2020

It’s Hurricane Preparedness Week, and with the start of hurricane season just three weeks away, now is the best time to advise homeowners on their unique risks and property protection measures to take before disaster strikes.

The 2019 hurricane season produced 18 named storms, including six hurricanes, three of which were major Category 3–5 storms.
An early 2020 storm forecast from Colorado State University predicted 16 systems will reach tropical-storm strength or greater, including eight hurricanes with potential for at least one to make landfall in the U.S.

Protecting your property
Personal lines clients must understand their properties’ vulnerability to extreme spring and summer weather like storm surge, flooding, and wind.
The National Weather Service (NWS) provides protection and resiliency advice for homeowners, offering a checklist of things to do before hurricane seasons begins.

Know your zone: Do you live near the Gulf or Atlantic Coasts?
Find out if you live in a hurricane evacuation area by contacting your local government/emergency management office or by checking the evacuation site website.
Put together an emergency kit. Check emergency equipment, such as flashlights, generators and storm shutters.
Write or review a Family Emergency Plan: Before an emergency happens, sit down with family or close friends and decide how to get in contact with each other, where you will go, and what to do in an emergency.
Keep a copy of this plan in an emergency supplies kit or another safe place where it can easily be accessible in the event of a disaster.
Review insurance policies to ensure that there is adequate coverage for your home and personal property.

08/28/2019

Tips for cheap car insurance
Is geography a fair factor when it comes to the price of car insurance? WalletHub’s survey found that Americans are split evenly on the issue. Other factors like gender and credit scores are largely considered to be unfair, with 71% stating they think it’s unfair for gender to be a factor in car insurance pricing, while two in three people feel similarly about credit scores affecting car insurance costs.
If you don’t live in an area with cheap car insurance, WalletHub has some tips on how to get cheap car insurance.

Get a car that’s cheap to cover.
Be on your best behavior and avoid driving recklessly.
Take advantage of discounts like getting paperless statements or bundling policies.
Build good credit.
Look locally before looking at national companies.
Choose a higher deductible.
Select less comprehensive coverage.
Consider pay-per-mile plans.

08/21/2019

Drivers’ speeding habits:
The CarInsurance.com study found a large gender difference in speeding behavior. Thirty-six percent of the drivers surveyed said they have never been pulled over for speeding. Of those drivers, 71% were female, and 29% were male.
In general, most respondents were okay with speeding — but just slightly. More than four-fifths of respondents admitted to driving over the speed limit by as much as 15 mph. But just 3% are truly living in the fast lane; they confessed to driving 30 mph or more over the limit.
The study also unveiled other differences between genders, including how men and women react when they are pulled over for speeding. For example, women were less likely to request a warning instead of a ticket, with 53% saying they never asked, compared to just 33% of men. For men who did ask for a warning, luck was not always on their side: One in four men still received a ticket after asking for a warning, while just 7% of women faced the same fate.
Common speeding excuses:
Drivers had a range of reasons why they were caught speeding, from being late to meet friends to running behind for a concert, event or commitment. The most uncommon excuse — used by just 1% of respondents — was “bringing home hot food and didn’t want it to get cold.”
By giving an excuse, 50% of drivers surveyed successfully avoided a speeding ticket.

08/19/2019

Don’t be lulled by a quiet June and July, the real Atlantic hurricane season is about to kick off.

The hurricane season runs from June 1 to the end of November. But the next six weeks — “the season within a season” — is regularly the most dangerous and active time for storms to develop in the Atlantic, said Dennis Feltgen, spokesman for the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
Only two named storms have developed in the Atlantic so far this year. Dry, dusty air from Africa’s Sahara robbed potential storms of moisture, and wind shear spurred by the El Nino climate systems ripped apart budding storms. Now, those brakes on hurricane development are gone.

The result: “A big change in the pattern over the Atlantic, going from a very lackluster quiet weather pattern to a much more active one,” said Dan Kottlowski, the lead hurricane forecaster at AccuWeather Inc. in State College, Pennsylvania. “We are thinking this season will be back-loaded.”
Last week, the U.S. National Weather Service forecast 10 to 17 named storms in the Atlantic. Last year, there were 15, including hurricanes Florence and Michael that killed a combined 96 people and caused more than $49 billion in damage. A storm is named when it reaches tropical storm strength, with maximum sustained winds of at least 39 miles per hour.

01/08/2019

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

4 Tips to be successful:

1. Just start: As soon as you think of what you want your New Year’s resolution to be, start! You don’t have to wait for a Monday or even the first of the year. Perhaps you’re reading this now and an idea sparks — go for it!

2. Don’t over-commit: You don’t have to choose an over-the-top, incredibly ambitious goal. Choose something that requires a bit more effort than you’re already putting in now so that it’s actually sustainable.

3. Do periodic check-ins: You can do this on your own or with a group of friends or co-workers for accountability. Don’t wait until the end of the year to evaluate yourself. Try out a weekly personal reflection & maybe do one in a group 1-2 times per month. What’s your status? What are you doing well? Which areas can use some improvement? What will you do in the coming week/month to ensure success?

4. Adjustments are totally acceptable: Don’t just give up on your resolution to train, for example, 4 times per week. If you’re successfully doing 2-3 times per week, adjust your goal to reflect that. Everything extra is just a bonus 🙂 Achievement is motivating — set yourself up for that!

GOOD LUCK!!

12/31/2017

Happy New Year's Eve!

Keep your family, home and pets safe tonight with these helpful safety tips.

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