Property Insurance

The assistance is available in Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Lee, and Sarasota counties, those hardest hit by Hurricane Ian

If passed, Floridians who prepare for flooding, rising sea levels, and natural disasters by elevating their homes can do so without their property taxes increasing.

Well before Hurricane Ian made Florida landfall, the state's homeowners' insurance market was already in free fall. A spokesperson with the Insurance Information Institute warned that the volatility looks set to continue.

The projection has been scaled back because Citizens has not seen as many claims as initially expected in areas outside of hard-hit Lee, Charlotte and Sarasota counties.

Rampant litigation, costlier storms and rising reinsurance costs have all combined to make chaos in Florida's home insurance market. Now, some worry Ian could send even more insurers out of the state.

Hurricane Ian could affect an already volatile property insurance market.

Insurers were required to begin submitting claims data Friday and will continue submitting the information each day through Oct. 7.

This week: A look at Ian’s impact as we check in with cities across the state; a former FEMA official brings us up to date on the emergency response effort; will Florida be able to handle all of the insurance claims; and how much is climate change to blame for the stronger and more intense storms the state is facing?

Hurricane Ian, barreling into Florida with 150 mph winds, double digit storm surge and drenching rains, is almost certain to further damage the state’s market, which has strained under billion dollar losses, insurer insolvencies and skyrocketing premiums.

Citizens president and CEO Barry Gilway said private property insurers are projected to have $1 billion in losses this year, as the property insurer has more than doubled its number of policies in two years.

The Board of Directors made the decision to borrow $150 Million after five property insurers have gone insolvent in Florida since February.

There’s renewed focus on Florida's red flag law but Second Amendment advocates and some law enforcement officials oppose the measure.