Bryan Nelson’s plans for Florida sinkhole insurance

Representative Bryan Nelson has sponsored House Bill 1447, which seeks – among other things – to limit sinkhole insurance coverage to 25 percent of the limits provided for in a policy. For example, if the coverage is $150,000, you would only be provided $37,500 for the repair of a confirmed sinkhole at your home.

This is an obvious attempt to permit insurers to continue to collect premiums for sinkhole losses, while at the same time offering them virtually nothing by way of real money to fix your home. This is tantamount to telling someone who bought a car that their car insurance will only cover 25 percent of the actual value in the event the car is in an accident.

What should happen

Representative Nelson does not live in a community where sinkholes and sinkhole activity are a threat to the value of his home. For other communities like those in Pinellas, Hernando, Pasco, and Marion, this bill not only exposes homeowners to significant, uninsured losses but also violates our freedom to contract with an insurance company.

If I want to buy the insurance and the insurance company wants to sell it, Representative Nelson and the other pro-insurance lobby representatives should stay out of the way.

How to speak up

I would encourage people to write to their own representatives, and tell them to vote against House Bill 1447. (Search for your representative by address.) Additionally, I would write to Representative Nelson and tell him to stay out of our business in the other counties where sinkholes are a significant problem. If you want, just print out this page and mail it to him.

Send your letter to:

Representative Bryan Nelson
214 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1300

The purpose of this move is to take money out of the wallets of homeowners and line the pockets of insurance companies and their constituents. Raise your voice and protect your insurance coverage from this change.