CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story misstated the nature of additional flood insurance requirements. It is optional in most, but not all, cases. (10:45AM MST, October 28, 2024)

Since Hurricanes Helene and Milton devastated Florida, more than 49,000 insurance claims have been denied, leaving thousands of residents in financial uncertainty as they attempt to rebuild.

According to data from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, many companies denied claims related to flood damage, a peril not typically covered under standard homeowners' insurance policies.

Mark Friedlander, corporate communications director for the Insurance Information Institute, explains that many denied claims result from homeowners not having separate flood insurance, which is required for policyholders with Citizens Insurance and those with mortgages in high-risk zones.

"Standard home, condo and renters policies do not include flood damage," Friedlander pointed out. "If you're filing a flood loss with your property insurer, it's going to be denied. Another issue is not meeting the deductible; that's another big category of denials."

For instance, he noted if you have a $10,000 windstorm deductible and your damage is $8,000, there will be no claim payout. He added the threshold has led many homeowners to find themselves without compensation for damages falling just short of deductible limits. He emphasized property owners should consider purchasing separate flood-insurance policies to be fully financially protected.

For residents whose claims were denied, Friedlander advised considering Federal Emergency Management Agency assistance as a partial alternative. He revealed some homeowners intentionally file claims they know will be denied to meet FEMA requirements.

"In order to qualify for FEMA emergency grants, you must prove to FEMA that you did not have insurance coverage for the loss," Friedlander stressed. "The only way to do that is to get a denied claim. You need to show the letter from your insurer to FEMA as part of the application process for the grant."

Florida's high cost of property insurance added another layer of difficulty, with annual premiums averaging $5,527 dollars for a home valued at $300,000. The premium is more than twice the national average, creating a financial strain for many. Despite the recent hurricanes, Friedlander reassured residents Florida's insurance market remains resilient, crediting recent legislative reforms.


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For now, Minnesota officials say panic has eased over federal funding for a program helping low-income households with their energy bills but there is still concern about long-term budget moves.

The state said last Thursday, it received its last remaining share of Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program grants for the current fiscal year, which means Minnesotans still needing help catching up on heating costs from this past winter will not be left behind. States were kept waiting on funds after the Trump administration laid off the entire staff in charge of sending the money out.

Lissa Pawlisch, assistant commissioner of federal and state initiatives for the Minnesota Department of Commerce, said they are relieved, noting the long-standing program is a lifesaver.

"This is something that helps support your neighbor, your grandmother," Pawlisch pointed out. "It is what is needed to make sure that every Minnesotan has a warm and safe environment for their children, for elderly, for folks with disabilities."

The state had warned it was dangerously close to exhausting funds. For the next federal fiscal year, President Donald Trump has proposed eliminating LIHEAP. However, Congress will have a say on the program's future, as it enjoys bipartisan support. The White House said state utility disconnection laws make LIHEAP unnecessary but advocates countered such protections are temporary and energy bills still need to be paid.

The Trump administration pointed to a 15-year-old Government Accountability Office report on LIHEAP which identified potential cases of fraud. However, state directors said reforms have helped strengthen the program's integrity. Pawlisch added the federal aid gets sent to utilities on behalf of customers in need, preventing people from exploiting the service.

"We don't want to see any waste, fraud or abuse in these programs," Pawlisch emphasized. "We want to make sure that those dollars are helping the people who really need them."

The department said so far this year, Minnesota's Energy Assistance program has helped more than 116,000 households. Demand is higher in rural counties, especially in the northern half of the state.

Officials said aid does not just go toward energy bills. Participants can also tap into it for filling up propane tanks or to cover emergency repairs for furnaces.


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Congress has overturned legislation which would have limited bank overdraft fees before the measure could go into effect.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said Texans have filed almost 3,000 complaints about overdraft fees. The rule would have capped fees at $5 or limited them to cover costs and losses.

Ann Baddour, director of the Fair Financial Services Project for the advocacy group Texas Appleseed, said the $35 to $40 fee can negatively affect someone who might already be struggling financially.

"To have these mounting charges for often relatively small amounts of money that people are over drafting, it can be a real burden, particularly on families who are struggling or people living paycheck to paycheck. "

She pointed out low-income people are hurt most by bank fees. The overdraft rule was set to go into effect Oct. 1.

The bureau said the nation's biggest banks take in roughly $8 billion in charges and fees every year. Complaints from Texans increased by more than 130% from 2023 to 2024.

Kimberly Fountain, field manager at Americans for Financial Reform, said the rule would have saved Americans $5 billion annually.

"Most debit card overdrafts are less than $26, far below the typical fee and are repaid within three days resulting in the equivalent of a 16,000 percentage rate loan," Fountain emphasized. "Often for transactions consumers would rather have been denied. "

Republicans argued the rule would have forced banks to stop offering overdraft protection altogether making it harder for Americans to access credit. Baddour and Franklin added people in support of overdraft fee reform can still contact lawmakers.

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Scam text messages impersonating the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and toll authorities are on the rise, despite the fact Wisconsin does not have toll roads.

The texts claim you have unpaid tolls and threaten extra fees and fines if not paid promptly. They include links to pay the fees and can also list a phone number to call.

Courtney Anclam, senior program specialist for AARP Wisconsin, said she's received about 10 of the texts in the past month. She noted they originally appeared to be from numbers in states like Connecticut or New York but are now mimicking the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles, showing an increased level of sophistication.

"They're harvesting credit card information and then using your credit card to go buy whatever other things they want," Anclam explained. "It's really important to not click on any of the links, don't call any of the phone numbers. Doesn't matter how official it looks."

Anclam added even though Wisconsin does not have toll roads, neighboring states like Illinois do. Anyone with concerns about being scammed can reach out to the Wisconsin DMV or Illinois toll services directly.

Anclam recently started including toll text scams in her outreach presentations across the state, pointing out most people in the audience have received them. She added while most of them delete, ignore, or mark the messages as spam, they often don't report them to official agencies like the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

"There might not be a huge number indicating that we've gotten thousands of reports," Anclam acknowledged. "But we know that thousands of these text messages are being sent because people are telling us, I got two of these, I got five of these, whatever it may be."

Anclam stressed the need to continue discussing the scams to raise awareness, saying they have grown more believable and intimidating.

"I think there's a common misconception that older people are more likely to be the victim of a scam, which is not true when we look at data from the Federal Trade Commission," Anclam observed. "Actually, younger people are reporting losing money to fraud more often than older people."

DATCP said they are receiving many more inquiries and complaints about scam text messages and encouraged anyone who receives one to report it.

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