Insurance in Florida? Help!

[Dradz]

In "discussions" with USAA to cover our OLD house that we plan to buy in the Tampa area.
House is built in 2001, but USAA draws the line at 2002 (or so they say).

Anyone have any other good companies that provide homeowners insurance in Florida?

Even a lot of the big companies don't play here.

All feedback appreciated. Thanks!

 

[MasterBates]

I have American Strategic Insurance for my house in Jax. Written through USAA. About 1.5 times what I was paying with USAA. $550/yr vice $375.

Sent from my PH44100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[BusyBee604]

House is built in 2001, but USAA draws the line at 2002 (or so they say).

I am a 54-yr. member of USAA, have insured every thing from cars to homes & valuables with them all during that time. They always had top rates & outstanding service. About 10 to 15 yrs ago, they went into a "growth frenzy", by continually lowering their military eligbilility requirements, thereby insuring higher & higher risk customers. Over this period, service has slowly deteriorated... while rates have risen drastically, especially for long-time low-risk policy holders (like BzB)!

The final straw, was the opening of insurance eligibility to many non-military types. USAA Insurance is no longer the fantastic bargain it once was. I have noticed much the same deterioration in the loan eligibility requirements and customer service at NFCU, as they jumped on the same "high growth" train during the same period.

Kinda' sad, insuring a 10 (or even 50) yr. old home w/ USAA, would have been nada problema, not too long ago.
BzB

 

[Gatordev]

I am a 54-yr. member of USAA, have insured every thing from cars to homes & valuables with them all during that time. They always had top rates & outstanding service. About 10 to 15 yrs ago, they went into a "growth frenzy", by continually lowering their military eligbilility requirements, thereby insuring higher & higher risk customers. Over this period, service has slowly deteriorated... while rates have risen drastically, especially for long-time low-risk policy holders (like BzB)!

Another hurdle (besides USAA's growth) for Florida homeowners is the lack of many insurance companies that will insure there due to hurricanes. After Francis, Ivan, and then Katrina (plus Dennis), all within a year of one another, even USAA doesn't like to play there unless you're active duty and it's your primary residence.

 

[helo_wifey]

We have ASI through USAA, or Jax home was built in 99 and we bought in 09. We didn't get other quotes but we figured the ease of having everything in one spot (we can call the USAA main number and be transferred to them and our mortgage even though they're through different companies) was worth it. We haven't had any issues and the transition to a full policy to just a fire policy when we moved out was pretty easy as well.

 

[Dradz]

Yeah, loyalty road is a one way street with them, it seems. We are active duty, it will be our primary residence, and uncle sam ordered us to go here! What was their saying "serve where you serve"? (except if it's Florida!)

Been with USAA for 22+ ...half way to 54, BZB! ... I brought that up to them, had the VP of policy service call me, but all he said was "can't promise anything, but will have my people look into it." They're supposed to get with me tomorrow, but I got a bad feeling about this.
Crazy thing is that Tampa has not seen a hurricane impact for 20 years (they mostly hit the panhandle or east coast), but I guess they lump all of Florida into the same "risk" bag.

They did try to pawn us off on ASI, but ASI does not underwrite in Florida now either.....

At least NFCU has been good to us so far for the loan process (although they were Nazi's when we refinanced our other house a couple years back)......

 

[Gatordev]

Crazy thing is that Tampa has not seen a hurricane impact for 20 years (they mostly hit the panhandle or east coast), but I guess they lump all of Florida into the same "risk" bag.

It's just a cross-the-board policy. I'm from St. Pete and my parents had a second floor condo in a non-flood zone and couldn't get any help a few years ago. They've since moved to Jax to a real house and I think USAA eventually helped them (perhaps through their other affiliates), but that two years (and following year or two of recovery) really took its toll on all the companies.

 

[insanebikerboy]

I use St Johns Insurance out of Jax for my house. They have pretty reasonable rates and will also do a fire policy if you have to move from Tampa down the road. PM me if you're interested and I'll send you my agent's name.

 

[webmaster]

I use ASI also for my property in Jax. I spent some time comparing the assets and portfolios of some of the companies that were offering "bargain" insurance rates, against the relatively higher ASI premiums. Their reserves, credit standing, and risk exposure were better when compared to some of the other quoted companies. My $3.50.

 

[RobLyman]

Newer houses built in Florida after the building codes changed are cheaper and easier to insure. Hurricane Andrew was the impetus for the changes and I think the Florida code changed in 2002 or 2003. When I got my home insurance, USAA wanted to know if it was built after the code was changed.

I know this doesn't help for insuring an existing older house, but may help you decide which house to buy.

 

[picklesuit]

We are looking at buying up in the Milton area...I don't know about what Zone this is in, but has anyone had luck getting home insurance in that area? What about "Pre-fab" homes versus regular old single family home?

 

[Aces]

I only have a list of best homeowners insurance companies. I'm not sure about insurance companies in Florida. http://www.quotes-center.com/best-homeowners-insurance/. Hope it helps.

 

[Dradz]

Thanks, all!

USAA is going to send out an inspection team to see if the house has been retrofitted to the 2002 standard or built to that standard -- specifically, they are looking at the roof construction. IF that is not the case, then they can't cover us and don't have any affiliates that can cover us -- YOYO!

Not sure if ASI even underwrites in the Tampa area anymore....

 

[Uncle Fester]

USAA told us that they won't cut any new policies for Florida, but you can "carry over" an existing policy (i.e., if you already have a policy on a Florida house, you can 'transfer' it to another one if you move). Homeowners of any type is tough to get in Florida. The spate of hurricanes in the mid-2000s just made it too much of a business risk. At least USAA won't just cancel your existing policy, or refuse to renew one, like quite a few companies have.

 

[picklesuit]

So you basically have no homeowners insurance? Or just no H'Cane insurance?