January 1, Insurance Company Cancels Couple’s Policy Night Before Hurricane Ian

A Florida couple had a rude awakening after their property insurance company canceled their policy the night before Hurricane Ian hit the Sunshine State.

The night before the hurricane hit, Tom Colantuono and his wife were preparing for the disaster. They were purchasing supplies and getting their house ready when they received the gut-wrenching news.

“She was white as a ghost,” Colantuono told WFLA. “She said, ‘we just got cancelled by Frontline.’”

Their notice of cancellation went into effect on Oct. 22, 2022 — the second time this year that they had a policy canceled.

“Tell me why I was canceled?” Colantuono said during an interview in May.

The Tampa Bay man was one of 68,000+ Florida residents canceled by FedNat Insurance Company. Colantuono called the state’s insurance market “out of control.”

“They just can’t cancel our policy the night before a hurricane is going to make landfall,” he said.

He’s correct — companies can’t do that.

Ahead of Hurricane Ian, Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier issued an order to temporarily protect residents. Under the order, “from September 28 – November 28, no insurer or other regulated entity may cancel, non-renew or issue a notice of cancellation or nonrenewal of a policy or contract except at the written request of the policyholder.”

However, they are able to cancel policies after that two month period expires, which is why Colantuono’s agent signed him up with another provider.

“I just found a policy with Citizens,” Colantuono said.

When asked if he’s worried that he’ll eventually be priced out of the Sunshine State, Colantuono said: “Sure — just this year the increases have gone up, probably doubled, almost tripled.”

Insurance experts say that the insurance company was able to cancel the policy because it was likely initiated in the weeks before the hurricane.

It is worth noting that the Office of Insurance Regulation said that any cancellation issued 10 days before Hurricane Ian must be withdrawn.

Residents who went through anything similar are encouraged to call their insurance agents.

Those who experienced property damage during the hurricane that their insurance provider is refusing to cover, or offering too little of a sum, are encouraged to sign up for a Free Case Review.

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Source: The Hill