This task force crated by an insurance reform bill passed in January includes Bob Milligan, Florida's insurance consumer advocate. They are holding several meetings around the state to hear from homeowners on how Citizens is working to resolve open claims from the eight storms that hit the state in a two-year period. Recommendations by the task force are expected to be made in the next week to help speed up the claims negotiations.
Among the many complaints and problems, the overwhelming issue is made by the policyholders is that poorly trained adjusters were went to examine the damage.
Citizens told the task force that it has 3,510 unresolved storm claims. However, as homeowners can reopen a claim if they find further damage or if Citizens hasn't paid a sufficient amount to cover all repairs, the number of claims not fully resolved could be considerable, said Heather Carruthers, an advocate with FIRM (Fair Insurance Rates for Monroe) and a task force member.