TAMPA, Fla — Just over a month after Hurricane Debby hit Florida, new data from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation shows nearly 60% of all Hurricane Debby claims are closed — and more than half of those were listed as "closed without payment."
As of September 6, the data showed that 19,973 claims were filed after Hurricane Debby, and 11,090 of those claims have already been closed. That's nearly 60% of the claims that have already been settled.
Of those claims already closed, 6,447 were listed as closed without payment, and 58.1% of those claims were denied.
"I was denied," said Sarasota homeowner Allison Cavallaro. "They wouldn't cover it, of course, because it's flood."
According to her insurance company, her damage was attributed to flood, which her homeowner's policy does not cover. Cavallaro didn't think she needed flood insurance because her home is outside a FEMA flood zone, in flood zone X.
"I've never had a flood, I've never had a disaster. I've never had to do anything, so it's all very new," she added.
Lisa Miller, former Florida deputy insurance commissioner, is not surprised that so many claims have been denied so quickly.
"It is kind of a shot to the gut whenever an adjuster says, 'I'm so sorry, we can't extend coverage," she said. "It doesn't take long to determine that it's a flood and not a wind claim. Remember, flood loss is not covered in a property insurance homeowner's insurance policy, and so many people think it is."
See full interview with Lisa Miller
Without flood insurance, Miller said the options are not ideal.
"One, of course, is take out a personal loan or if they've got equity in their home, you know borrow with that. Secondly, see what FEMA has to offer, it might not be much, but it could help. And third, is a lot of people are just selling their homes and walking away."
For Cavallaro, getting an SBA Disaster Loan is her only option while waiting for FEMA to respond.
"I guess I'll live in my trailer a little bit longer," Cavallaro said. "I would say read every word in the policy, definitely get flood insurance and don't shortcut it. Get the real private insurance. Get the good stuff."
Investigative Reporter Katie LaGrone obtained the most recent batch of Florida teacher exit interviews which detail, in their own words, why teachers left the classroom this summer.
