An aide to Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis told Fort Myers Beach Mayor Jim Atterholt that 223 people were seen at Tuesday’s Insurance Village event at Diamondhead and over $1.4 million in unsettled claims were given back to policy holders.
The Patronis aide also said that if the demand is there, another event like the one on Tuesday can be arranged.
Atterholt said when he asked Florida CFO Jimmy Patronis to host the Insurance Village on Fort Myers Beach he didn’t even hesitate. “I am so thankful for this effort because our island residents started to get responses from high level insurance representatives they should have received months ago. The CFO assured me at the event that they were launching multiple market conduct exams against the bad actors in the insurance industry who have been mistreating their customers. These market conduct exams could result in an action by the state of Florida that will force these companies to pay all of their legitimate claims.”
Stu Ryckman has owned in Bermuda Dunes for 29 years. He said he and his wife found the event extremely helpful. “We have struggled because it took so long to try to get repair estimates for a couple issues in our condo because we didn’t really have much access to it and we couldn’t even get an adjuster up to it easily with no power, no elevators, no safe entry and egress, etc. Plus trying to deal with the company through various emails while we live out of state and speaking with a different person each time we tried calling it just seemed like everything was always up in the air. They even closed our claim (but have since reopened it). The folks we dealt with from Citizens were very helpful and we now have an adjuster coming in and we have been able to proceed with a separate claim for loss assessment. It was much more personable and helpful to be able to sit down with somebody and go over everything. We still don’t have a settlement because we still need some things to be priced but all I wanted was to be working with the insurance company towards a conclusion and we have that now.”
Fort Myers Beach resident Shari King was not impressed by the event. “FEMA reps could not assist with individual claims. Only there to explain “the process”. After 6 months, I know the process. Needed someone who could actually help me with my claim. More if an PR event than actual results. Waste of time.”