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Article
Courtesy of The Ocala Star-Banner
By
CHRISTINE GIORDANO
Published
February 10, 2007
DELAND
- Gov. Charlie Crist assured victims of
the storms that cut a deadly swath through Central Florida a week ago that
their insurance rates won't rise and policy-holders won't be dropped by
their insurance companies.
The governor toured storm-damaged areas in Volusia County on Friday, along
with R. David Paulison, national director of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, before stopping at Fernwood Mobile Home Park in DeLand
for a news conference. The mobile home park was previously damaged by a
Christmas Day tornado last year.
"I'm very pleased
that we already had the special session and the Cabinet went
ahead and followed through on an emergency rule that would
prohibit cancellations from happening and from raising more
rates on the backs of Floridians," Crist said,
referring to a special legislative session in January that
focused on the issue of homeowners' insurance.
Paulison announced that due to the recent storms, the
victims of the Christmas Day |
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Florida
Gov. Charlie Crist hugs a frustrated resident of the Fernwood Mobile
Home Park, where a tornado did extensive damage in December 2006,
after he and FEMA director R. David Paulison discussed recovery
efforts for the community in DeLand on Friday. Residents felt
cheated out of assistance and were unable to successfully apply for
FEMA aid, until now.
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storm
would now be eligible for federal aid.
FEMA originally denied federal aid for victims of the earlier storm,
saying the state had enough resources, but Paulison said the agency
reversed its decision after Crist made an appeal.
"I
think the message of today is, never give up," Crist said.
"You've got to be tenacious."
Individual homeowners can now qualify for aid through FEMA for damage from
either the first or second storms by calling 1-800-621-3362, through a
Disaster Recovery Center or online at fema.gov.
"They could get up to $28,000 for different types of damage,"
Paulison said, including money for repairs, replacement, damage to
vehicles, medical and rental assistance.
Volusia County suffered an estimated $52 million in damages from the
Christmas Day tornadoes, according to Jim Ryan, director of the county's
Emergency Operations Center. Last week's tornadoes struck a location that
was four miles away from the first, resulting in another $60 million of
estimated damages, Ryan said.
Meanwhile, the state's two biggest providers of homeowner's insurance say
the damage tally from last week's storms is almost at $30 million.
State Farm Insurance has already received 477 homeowner's claims and
another 336 auto damage claims, according to spokesman Michael Connolly.
The company is estimating the storm to cost $23 million in claims.
Connolly didn't know how much the company had already paid in claims.
Citizens Property Insurance is expecting $5 million to $6 million in
claims, according to spokesman Rocky Scott. Citizens has already paid
$750,000 so far, Scott said, adding that 232 Claims filed were filed by
Wednesday afternoon and the company is expecting up to 600.
Adjusters are facing a tough challenge because of all the storm debris,
especially in Paisely and Lake Mack.
"Insurance adjusters are going door to door, but sometimes the doors
and the homes aren't there," Scott said.
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