Latest Homeowners Headlines
All the headlines from our Homeowners Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Florida Homeowners Insurers Seek ‘Flex-Rating’ Up to 15%
Apr 4 2011 // Florida lawmakers are considering giving homeowners insurers more flexibility to raise rates. The Florida Senate and Banking Insurance Committee recently approved a bill that would allow insurers to raise their rates up to...
State Farm Denied Rate Hike in Louisiana; Citizens Gets 6.5% Increase
Apr 4 2011 // Louisiana insurance regulators rejected a rate increase from the state’s largest insurer of homes, but the board of the state’s property insurer of last resort approved a rate hike, albeit smaller than the one...
Florida Lawmakers Advance Plan to Shrink State Insurer Citizens
Apr 1 2011 // Florida lawmakers have approved a plan designed to move more property owners into the private insurance market by restricting what properties the state-backed insurer can cover and allowing it to raise its rates. By a vote...
Study: Washington Law Increased Homeowners Insurance Costs by $190 Million
Mar 31 2011 // A new study released by the Insurance Research Council (IRC) has found a Washington law increased homeowners insurance costs by $190 million. The IRC study examined the impact of the Insurance Fair Conduct Act (IFCA),...
Calif. Homeowners Insurance Valuation Training Courses Available Online
Mar 31 2011 // Education to meet the California’s Department of Insurance Homeowners’ Valuation Training requirement can be obtained online. Through the Insurance Community University Web site,...
North Carolina Eyes Public Panel to Oversee Home Insurance Rates
Mar 29 2011 // Frustrated by rising home insurance rates, some North Carolina residents want a greater role in the rate approval process and state lawmakers are looking to give it to them. The North Carolina Insurance Committee is...
State Farm Homeowners’ Rate Hike Rejected in Louisiana
Mar 24 2011 // Louisiana insurance regulators have rejected a rate increase from the state’s largest insurer of homes. State Farm Fire and Casualty Co. wanted an average 14.3 percent rate hike for its 301,000 customers who get...
Florida’s Homewise, First Home Insurance Companies to Merge
Mar 24 2011 // Two of Florida’s domestic insurance companies have announced that they plan to merge. Homewise Insurance Co. and First Home Insurance Co. are planning to merge sometime in the second quarter pending regulatory...
Florida Homeowners Insurers Seek ‘Flex-Rating’ Up to 15%
Mar 24 2011 // Florida lawmakers are considering giving homeowners insurers more flexibility to raise rates. The Florida Senate and Banking Insurance Committee recently approved a bill that would give homeowners insurers some latitude,...
Colorado Bill Restricting Homeowners Insurance Cancellations Defeated
Mar 23 2011 // The Colorado House Economic and Business Development Committee has voted 9-4 to defeat a bill that homeowner’s insurance carriers say would have restricted their underwriting freedoms and their ability to provide...
First Community Seeks 23% Florida Homeowners Insurance Rate Hike
Mar 22 2011 // A group of Florida homeowners could see a double-digit increase in their property premiums if regulators go along with their insurer’s rate request. Florida regulators are holding a public hearing today to consider...
No Need to Remove Wiring in Homes with Problem Drywall: U.S. Officials
Mar 22 2011 // Federal safety officials have stopped recommending removal of all electrical wiring in homes with problem drywall, a change in the safety protocol that could reduce the cost of remediation for many homes. The U.S. Consumer...
Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corp. Rates to Rise July 1
Mar 21 2011 // The governing board of Louisiana’s insurer of last resort has approved an average 6.5 percent annual rate increase for its 119,000 homeowners’ policies. Higher rates for those homeowners covered by Louisiana...
Industry Files Dog Exclusions for Homeowners Policies
Mar 21 2011 // A national insurance advisory organization is filing three endorsements to allow insurers to exclude personal and umbrella liability coverage for injury or damage arising from dogs. The American Association of Insurance...
Calif. Senators Introduce National Earthquake Legislation
Mar 18 2011 // U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, both D-Calif., have introduced legislation to lower the cost of earthquake insurance for Californians and individuals who purchase coverage from a non-profit, state-run...
Kentucky Condo Owners Await Ruling Over Shoddy Construction
Mar 15 2011 // A group of condominium owners in northern Kentucky is hoping a judge’s ruling will give them an opportunity to collect several million dollars from a defunct construction company they say did shoddy work on their...
Business Groups Back Expanding Federal Flood Insurance Options
Mar 14 2011 // Expanding a federal program that is already $17 billion in debt might seem like a non-starter of an idea on budget-sensitive Capitol Hill these days. However the idea is included in a Republican-drafted reform of the...
E&O Insights: Common Auto, Homeowners Errors
Mar 7 2011 // An Estimated 30% of All Agency E&O Claims Arise from Handling Auto and Homeowners Business When dissecting Errors & Omissions claims frequency, it is apparent there is real E&O exposure for agencies writing...
4 Consumer Misconceptions About Personal Lines
Mar 7 2011 // Agents, Don’t Be on Spring Break When Customers Need You to Prepare for Summer As spring draws near, it’s time to reconnect with your clients. There is no better time than now to reach out and address some...
Alabama Plans Session on Coastal Insurance
Mar 7 2011 // Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has renewed a campaign pledge to call a special session of the state Legislature to find a solution for coastal residents seeking homeowners insurance. “I have made a commitment, and...