Finding You the Best Policy for Florida’s Unique Climate Challenges

Hurricanes, flash floods, sinkholes; it’s no wonder that Florida is the single most expensive state in the Union for home insurance. However, when it comes to homeowner insurance, Florida insurers have developed a habit of increasing premiums significantly even in years when there have been no major hurricanes or other natural disasters. This is a major reason why we have seen a stream of new insurers entering the state in recent years. The market usually works these things out; and because there have been fewer major disasters in recent years, more insurers are finding it profitable to write homeowner policies in Florida.

Trust Spickelmier Insurance Agency with Your Home

At Spickelmier Insurance, our independent Jacksonville agency is founded on the premise that we’re here to protect you. This means finding the right policy at the right price to fit your needs. We work with several of the top insurers in Florida and we are often able to save customers up to 20% or more on their homeowner insurance premiums.

What Is Protected in a Homeowner Policy?

A standard homeowner’s insurance policy provides pretty good coverage for your dwelling and property, including:

• The physical structure of your home.
• Other structures such as detached garages and out buildings.
• Your personal property, with a variety of exclusions for particularly expensive items.
• Medical payments for others that are injured on your property.
• Liability covers damages other than medical should someone injure themselves on your property.
• Living expenses, you pay for a place for you to stay while your home is repaired.

In addition to the standard hazards such as fire and theft, most Florida homeowner policies offer protections from windstorms, hail and hurricanes unless you choose to waive them. Also, Florida insurers are now required to offer sinkhole/catastrophic ground collapse coverage (subject to restrictions).

There are some additional areas homeowner insurance only protects if you purchase additional coverage, such as:

• Sports equipment, musical instruments, jewelry, and other high-cost single items.
• Data lost when a computer or other electronic device is damaged.
• Yard and garden value.
• Identity theft coverage.
• Mold damage.
• Sewer backups.

Each of these additional coverages is called a ‘rider’ or ‘schedule,’ and it adds to your premium depending on the value of the items or circumstances covered.

There are certain scenarios that a standard homeowner’s policy does not cover at all. These include flood damage and earthquakes. Obtaining coverage for these potential hazards requires buying a separate policy. In the case of flood insurance, it must be purchased more than 30 days prior to a covered event through the National Flood Insurance Program administered by FEMA. Spickelmier can help you obtain this coverage if you are in a flood-prone area.

Whatever your Florida homeowner insurance needs, sit down with Spickelmier Insurance and let’s talk about what you have, what you are willing to give up if something goes wrong, and what you absolutely need to have protected. Ask us about Actual Cash Value coverage vs. Replacement Cost coverage and which you should have based on your individual circumstance. We’ll make sure everything you value most about your home and personal property receives the coverage it needs. Contact us today at (904) 471-7155 or stop by our office to get started.