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Trump claims Gov. Ron DeSantis is ‘crushing Florida homeowners,’ ‘bailing out’ state insurance companies

March 17, 2023 | | Print Article

Former President Donald Trump spent his Thursday night attacking his biggest political threat and favorite new target, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, accusing him in a scathing Truth Social post of ruining “Florida’s lives” and leading the “worst Insurance Scam in the entire Country!”

“In addition to wanting to cut Social Security (and raise the minimum age to at least 70) & MediCare, RINO Ron DeSanctimonious is delivering the biggest insurance company BAILOUT to Globalist Insurance Companies, IN HISTORY,” Trump fumed.

“He’s also crushed Florida homeowners whose houses were destroyed in the Hurricane – They’re getting pennies on the dollar,” he continued. “His Insurance Commissioner does NOTHING, while Florida’s lives are ruined. This is the worst Insurance Scam in the entire Country!”

While Trump’s nicknames for the popular governor have fallen flat in recent months, he may have struck a chord with his latest DeSantis salvo.

“Trump is hitting DeSantis on issues that actually affect millions of Floridians,” WLRN reporter Danny Rivero tweeted. “Even Republicans have been angry and alarmed at the home insurance crisis (wallet issues do not lie) but until now they haven’t placed the blame on the governor.”

The Sunshine State currently boasts the highest homeowners and auto insurance premiums in the nation.

In February, a former chief financial officer and chief risk officer for several Florida property insurers, John Rollins, told local NBC affiliate News Channel 8 that policy rates have surged a whopping 50% for Floridians, and industry experts and some state officials expect reinsurance costs to go up between 40% to 50% or more in June.

Meanwhile, according to Lawrence Mower of the Tampa Bay Times, “DeSantis has supported House Bill 837, one of the priorities of House Speaker Paul Renner, R-Palm Coast, and the companion Senate Bill 236.”

“That legislation would make it harder for Floridians to sue their insurance companies,” Mower writes. “The bills are being fast-tracked through the Legislature this year.”

According to documents obtained by The Washington Post, “a dozen policyholders and their families had their Hurricane Ian claims reduced by 45 to 97 percent.”

“In one claim reviewed by The Post, a nearly $500,000 damage estimate on a house with a mostly tarped roof was reduced to about $13,000,” the outlet reported. “In another, the desk adjusters blamed roof storm damage on past wear and tear, meaning it would not be covered.”

Following hurricanes Ian and Nicole, Gov. DeSantis signed legislation to provide “$750 million in relief” for affected communities and “increase competition while strengthening consumer protections for Florida’s property insurance market.”

But with premiums still going up, many Floridians are expressing their anger toward DeSantis for not doing more.

“Floridians have the highest property-insurance rates in the nation and a crumbling insurance market. The average premium is $4,231 — nearly triple the U.S. average of $1,544,” wrote one angry Twitter user last week. “Ron DeSantis is too busy to attend in-person a meeting to appoint the new insurance commissioner.”

“I can’t believe Floridians aren’t furious about this,” replied another user. “How do you afford to own homes?”

“He’s right on this,” one user wrote in response to Trump’s Truth Social post, “insurance is a mess.”

“There are people who are not getting their money from their insurance companies to be able to fix their homes,” the user continued. “We still have folks living in cars, tents and RVs on our island. Let’s not forget about FEMA promising trailers -didn’t happen.”

Melissa Fine
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