Before Helene passed through FL I began staging sand bags at convenient points around the perimeter of the house. Before I finished, it was apparent Helene would pass us by leaving this area unscathed. Yesterday, I noticed the change in the current WX forecasts suggesting a possibility of TS for Invest 92, and the worrisome part is the rain forecast for 8-12 inches here Monday thru Thursday. I thought to resume my gut busting sandbag movements. While doing a walk around last night I noticed my new neighbor just took his down! Guess I will be the only nut in the neighborhood moving sandbags around again.

Another frustrating aspect of this is local city government bragging about their fiscal surplus for more community projects since taxes were raised a couple of years ago. They used some of the money to clear trash, debris, undergrowth, from the drainage system that helped cause terrible flooding here during Ian 2 years ago. These drainage channels hadn't been cleaned in years. There were two other contributing factors to that disaster, the public works director was away on vacation, and multiple pumping stations along the sewage drainage system were in disrepair and failed to operate during the storm. Gates to control water levels in the system were simply left open. So in the mayor's bragging newsletter we were informed that superficial improvements had been made to local parks (which are completely inadequate compared to the population density here) while four pumping stations in flood experience areas HAVE NOT YET BEEN REPLACED. The city had also organized some parade last month. The complete incompetence of political leadership extends to the very lowest level in this country. Don't worry Moe, Larry and Curly have everything under control.

Florida Homeowner Insurance Company Fraud:

60 Minutes failed to cover this aspect of the problem- One way attorney fees further discourage homeowners from litigation.

This law was passed after Ian, I don't know whether it is applied retroactively or not. So this is not intended as legal advice. It's relevant news that CBS missed. Usual disclaimer- I am not a practicing lawyer. If someone has trouble with an insurance company they need to consult a competent licensed attorney.

One way attorney's fees

Senate Bill 2A made a clear statement by revising Florida Statute Sections 627.428 and 626.9373, expressly stating that “there is no right to attorney fees” in a suit arising under a residential or commercial property insurance policy. Furthermore, the bill removed references to attorneys’ fees from the pre-suit notice provision found in Section 627.70152, effectively eliminating its use as a fee-shifting mechanism.

Impact on Homeowners
The elimination of one-way attorneys’ fees is undoubtedly a major shift in the landscape for homeowners in Florida. For policyholders, this change raises several crucial considerations:

Increased Financial Risk: Without the assurance of recovering attorneys’ fees, policyholders face heightened financial risks when pursuing claims against insurers. Legal battles may become more expensive and potentially deter homeowners from seeking the compensation they deserve.
Impact on Access to Justice: The removal of one-way attorneys’ fees could impede access to justice for policyholders, especially those with limited financial resources. The costs of litigation may become prohibitive for some homeowners, leading to potential inequities in pursuing legitimate claims.

Thanks for the Odds and Ends OTC!

(edited typo and format)