FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Florida public adjuster fears consumers will lose some protection benefits under Governor-elect Rick Scott
Florida public adjuster Tutwiler and Associates will track incoming governor's position on deregulating and changing Florida's property insurance industry.
November 18, 2010 / TAMPA, Fla. /
Following Governor-elect Rick Scott's message that he intends to revamp the state's insurance system, Florida-based public adjuster Tutwiler and Associates cautions policyholders to watch out for changes to property insurance regulations as well as changes in their policy forms and endorsements.
In an article from the online Sunshine State News publication this week, the writer reported that “Scott says he wants to revamp Florida’s insurance system by giving insurers more certainty and limiting their exposure when it comes to writing policies for hurricanes and sinkholes.” Public adjuster Tutwiler and Associates, licensed and certified throughout 10 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands, says that consumers should brace for Florida's next legislative session. It has been reported that when lawmakers meet early next year, they will likely reintroduce the insurance bill Governor Charlie Crist vetoed earlier this year. We are also concerned that other provisions will be added to the property insurance bill for the legislature’s consideration that may be harmful to Floridians.
"The big unknown is Governor-elect Scott's influence on property insurance, and how hard he will push, among other things, the deregulation of property insurance in Florida," says Charles R. "Dick" Tutwiler, founder and CEO of Florida public adjuster firm Tutwiler and Associates. "Loss of consumer protection, coupled with deregulation and higher rates, would be a huge windfall for the insurance companies at a very bad time, given Florida's current real estate problems."
Tutwiler, who has spent 37 years as a Florida public adjuster, worries that insurance companies will raise their rates and consumers will possibly lose some consumer protection benefits if Scott deregulates the insurance industry. Florida has historically had many consumer protection rules and regulations and I hope these are not lost or reduced which would be a very bad thing for consumers.
"I do hope that any legislation passed in this up coming session will include a provision for full payment of a homeowner's building loss at replacement cost if and when Governor Scott declares a state of emergency in the aftermath of a hurricane," says Tutwiler. "Big Insurance is truly big money, but the little guy who pays the premiums has to be considered and represented at the table in Tallahassee."
For more information, please visit www.PublicAdjuster.com.
CONTACT:
Tutwiler and Associates
Email:
Phone: (800) 321-4488
For more information, please visit www.PublicAdjuster.com
About Tutwiler and Associates: Tutwiler and Associates is a firm of public adjusters licensed in 10 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands specializing in commercial and residential property loss adjusting. With well in excess of $113 million in client success stories over a 27-year history, the Florida public adjusters work exclusively on behalf of policyholders to help them achieve the maximum settlement amounts they can fairly and honestly recover based on their loss and their policy provisions. Professional help from the adjusters at Tutwiler and Associates can help clients obtain a fair recovery under their policy. The Gulf Coast based public adjuster firm is committed to public service and strives to educate its clients about commercial and residential windstorm and hurricane losses, flood damage, fire, smoke and water damage, collapse, hidden decay and mold losses, sinkholes, loss of stock, and business interruption.