Floridians navigate insurance hurdles after Hurricane Ian

(NewsNation) — The wind and rain from Hurricane Ian have moved on from Florida, but the people caught in its path are still facing problems. Among the difficulties Floridians will face for months to come: navigating insurance issues.

Ashley Soileau owns Stonebridge Insurance Agency and she says the Florida property insurance crisis was already a pain for years. Now, Ian is just adding on.

“Some of the issues our industry is facing right now … we have to rely on our government. They make the rules, the laws, and it trickles all the way down to the consumers,” Soileau said. “So right now there’s a bit of a turmoil going on with that.”

Brian Gleason from Charlotte County’s public safety office spoke with NewsNation’s Mitch Carr on “Early Morning.”

“A lot of people talk about, ‘Oh yeah insurance will cover it, it depends on your policy.’ Some people could be facing (a) five-figure payout just to cover the deductible,” Gleason said. “And if you had light damage, your house can be repaired but who has $1,500 laying around to cover the deductible to replace the roof, repair soffits and light and fencing. That is something that is a concern for a lot of people.”

And while most of Florida is surrounded by water, many homeowners don’t have flood insurance. According to Politico, in the nine counties that have been declared disaster areas, only 29% of households impacted by Ian have flood insurance.

“My biggest tip is work with your insurance company,” Soileau said. “If and when they cannot help you, then you move onto that third party.”