Coastal Insurance by myialovewilson

COASTAL INSURANCE

U R S E A S I D E

“The Seaside Initiative is the cornerstone prototype for all current and future neighborhood targets” GB

Mailerone Seaside

Dear Friends and Neighbors

I am thrilled to announce that we have developed a homeowner insurance program and process that finally helps Seaside owners escape the unfair and unsustainable insurance premiums of today’s Florida insurance crisis. Most Seaside owners are paying more than they should for homeowner insurance.

Every Seaside owner that participates will benefit with most seeing premium reductions and many seeing dramatic premium decreases.

Over the past year, I met with our friends at Seaside Community Real Estate and the board of Seaside Homeowner Collection, and everyone agrees that something proactive must be done to help Seaside owners. Insurance increases of 100-400% and owners having their policies dropped will continue for two years or more unless we work together to stop it.

The Seaside Insurance Initiative is unique and one of a kind perfected just for Seaside. Our consultive approach gets to the bottom of and explains why Seaside owners pay more for insurance than most neighborhoods. Nobody has ever shown you how your insurance premium is calculated. We are not only going to show you how your premiums are calculated but also identify factors that are making your insurance much higher than it can and should be.

Your premium has been dictated by insurance companies and politics long enough. Now things are more in your control. To register please contact Jennifer Brooks, CIC: 850-231-0042 /JBrooks@CoastalCoverage.com. Existing Coastal clients also need to register for this special advocacy program as well. NOW, for the good stuff please review the enclosed package.

Cheers, Grant Blackwell

SEASIDE INITIATIVE

WITH GRANT BLACKWELL

Seaside

WHY DOES THE SEASIDE INSURANCE INITIATIVE WORK SO WELL?

In order to reduce your premium you must first understand how insurance companies calculate your premium!”

Facts

There are only about 10 Insurance companies that write homeowner policies in Seaside. (We represent and have influence with all 10 carriers).

There are 12 primary factors that determine your insurance premiums.

1. Age

2. Roof Age

3. Construction Type

4. Wind Mitigation Devices

5. Condition

6. Distance to the Gulf

7. Ownership type

8. Usage

9 . Claims History

10. Coverage amounts selected

11. Credit score

12. Insurance carrier chosen.

Every insurance company applies a different weight to each of the factors. Also, the factors they use are often wrong. One major error can double your premium. Having your factors matched with the wrong carrier is even more common and has the same hideous results.

The Seaside Initiative process identifies all of your correct premium factors. We identify any errors with your current carrier. The team takes your correct factors and runs them through all 10 of the active Seaside insurance companies and quickly identifies the one that best fits you. It is a 100% accurate process.

Seaside Homeowner Insurance Initiative

The steps

Consultation with Jennifer, your coordinator. 850-231-0042

Your current policy and renewal notices are forwarded to Jennifer for review. This includes not only a review of premium drivers but also a line-by-line coverage review.

Four-Point Inspection and Wind Mitigation Inspection performed. The only cost to the homeowner is $150 - $250.

Five Team Members at Coastal Insurance review all the factors, compare notes, and communicate with the 10 homeowner insurance companies generating the perfect insurance premium scenario. SUCCESS...

This next one can be HUGE. In this step, the team and your coordinator visit the correct 12 factors and determine if you were to change one or more of the 12 factors how much more money you could save. Now you have the power, not the insurance company.

FULL WRITTEN REPORT with all premium options. FL

S Initiative

PRESIDENT

“Grant Blackwell and his team at Coastal Insurance Agency have helped many of our clients for over 20 years and I am so happy to see him taking this big step to help so many more. ”

Jacky Barker, Seaside Community Real Estate

GRANT BLACKWELL

Grant Blackwell, President of Coastal Insurance agency

grew up in Mississippi where he got his degree in Real Estate and Insurance Before Grant founded Coastal Insurance Agency almost 25 years ago, he worked as a commercial insurance agent and consultant specializing in hard-to-place industries in MS, AL, LA, and TX with outstanding success

Grant moved his wife and boys to Destin in 199 to create a new family adventure and to spend more time with his boys, starting Coastal Insurance

Agency from scratch. His experience and success in the commercial insurance industry served him well and Coastal rapidly grew to be the leading home and condo agency on the Emerald Coast and today is one of the largest in Florida

Coastal has 20 staff agents officed in Grand Blvd Ctr, in Miramar Beach

He and his wife Robin raised their sons in Grayton Beach where he served many years as President of the Grayton HOA. Grant and his family enjoy all things 30A

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

We recently rolled out the Seaside Homeowner Insurance Initiative and results have been nothing short of amazing. I have enclosed a short list of our successes showing some before and after premiums for Seaside neighbors that we have already helped, and this is just the start. I am very proud of my team and this initiative. We need to get to work for you and the rest of the owners.

As many as 90% of Seaside, FL homeowners are being overcharged for their homeowner insurance.

Since the current insurance crisis started in 2019, Seaside homeowners have endured five years of often unjustified and unreasonable premium increases. This has resulted beyond all doubt in current premiums being excessive in nearly every case.

This is your advocacy program. There will never be a better way to get your insurance coverages and premiums under control both for now and for years to come. We are making real corrections in coverage and premium rating factors that will help you from now on.

There are two very easy ways to register for the Seaside Homeowner Insurance Initiative consultation program and process:

Call our Grand Blvd office at 850231-0042 and ask to speak for a member of our Seaside homeowner team. They will take it from there.

This QR code will take you directly to an information form that you can easily fill out online.

Thanks for your consideration and I look so forward to getting to know you and your family.

Cheers, Grant Blackwell

I am so thrilled we are just getting started and the successes are beginning to stack up, I thought that I would share a few with you and hopefully get you signed up soon if not already:

Pensacola Street

Natchez Street

Ruskin Street

Grayton Street Forest Street Highway 30A Before $22,462 $58,850 $18,596 $33,331 $17,081 $21,097 After $14,956 $19,490 $11,607 $19,204 $10,304 $13,287

Join the Movement!

GrantBlackwell

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I am Grant Blackwell, President of Coastal Insurance Agency. I started Coastal 25 years ago and today we are one of the largest homeowner specialty agencies in Florida headquartered in South Walton.

The Seaside Homeowner Insurance Initiative works well. It is not that complicated. It works well because we apply a high level of industry knowledge with quality insurance carrier influence in an extremely effective process

After you register, we will get a copy of your current insurance policies and review every single line of the policies. We will provide information about your current carrier, review every line of coverage, make proper recommendations including deductibles, and then evaluate your current premium development accentuating the positive premium drivers and reducing or eliminating the negative. You will likely be amazed at how well this works.

Some older homes might require a fresh home inspection to document upgrades and wind mitigation devices. This would be your only cost at about $200 but it is not required in every case.

My family and I love Seaside , my son attended Seaside School and we have been your neighbors living in downtown Grayton Beach for over 20 years. As a very blessed member of this community, I am passionate about this program and helping our neighbors.

Today you have made a great step towards taking back control of your insurance cost and coverage perfection. I am here to make sure that happens. I promise, that if you will trust me, my team, and the process you will see great results.

I have a great team of degreed Insurance and Risk Management team leaders and Certified Insurance Counselors managing this process. The insurance industry’s premium development system has the cards stacked in the favor of the insurance companies, together we are going to change that. My team will likely request that you assist by providing or securing the following information:

1. A copy of your current policy and/or renewal notice including the premium; this will be requested and is required for participation in the program. Why? This is a consulting approach. We are going to analyze every line of your policy from the Carrier listed at the top of the page, down through every line of coverage amounts, characteristics factors, deductibles, and endorsements. More than likely, in our first step, we will find significant premium savings for you and we’re just getting started!

2. A copy of a current home inspection and wind mitigation inspection if you have one.

These are incredibly powerful tools to reduce your insurance. Insurance companies don’t require documentation of home details that hurt you, only those that help you. That is why a home inspection is so important. We will help you get a new inspection if one is needed. (This is where we get you the Big Money Savings!)

3. Telephone consultation during the process is extremely helpful for you to understand what we are doing and to give us insight into your current use of the home and changes you might anticipate in the future, such as upgrades or changes of usage.

Your team leaders include: Michelle, Tyler, and Jennifer. They will be communicating with you in the beginning and throughout the process as needed. They can arrange for you to talk to me as well. I can’t wait to see your results, good luck.

Hey Folks, Cheers, Grant Blackwell, President

Seaside Homeowner Insurance Initiative Round 1: Spring-Summer 2024

Success stories for Seaside owners who have taken advantage of the program through April 2024-August 2024.

We look forward to sharing future results from Round 2 starting in September 23rd.

Ruskin Forest Street

Seaside Avenue

078

004

Rosemary

SEASIDE ADVISOR

SEASIDE FACES UNPRECEDENTED PROPERTY INSURANCE PREMIUMS IN 2023 AND MASS POLICY CANCELLATIONS HAVE ALREADY STARTED

Q.Grant, what in the world is going on with Florida property insurance? Everybody is talking about the outrageous premiums and mass policy cancellations.

A.I will start with the short answer. Florida is in a property insurance crisis. In short, the demand for insurance is significantly greater than the supply. In the past 24 months (about 2 years) a dozen or more Florida property insurance carriers have folded while dozens more are no longer accepting new customers and cancelling the policies of millions of homeowners in Florida. All of these cancelled customers have flooded the insurance market and any carriers that continued to offer new policies have become full very quickly. Most carriers do not accept new policies unless

they purge higher-risk policies to take advantage of lower-risk prospects. This leaves people with older homes and close to the Gulf extremely vulnerable.

Q.What does all of this mean to SEASIDE owners?

A.Seaside owners have already endured major premium increases, and many have been dropped by their insurance companies. In 2023- 2024 we will see one of three things for Seaside owners: 1. Continued premium increases of 40-400% 2. Dropped by their insurance company at their renewal date. 3. Dropped by their insurance company unless they make home improvements or updates.

Q.Why are some Seaside homes experiencing higher premium increases than others and some being dropped by their carriers when others are not?

A.Our entire process recognizes that there are 12 factors that affect the availability cost of insurance here along the coast. 1. Age 2. Roof Age 3. Condition 4. Construction Type 5. Plumbing and Electrical 6. Wind mitigation devices 7. Distance to water 5. Carrier stability 7. Coverage Amounts 8. Ownership type (LLC, individual, trust) 9. Claim history A combination of these factors is basically in a formula that first determines if a carrier will offer coverage on your homes and then these same factors determine the cost. Since these factors

vary by nearly every home to some extent, an owner can not navigate this alone. That is where we come in. Our process evaluates each home, determines which factors are most important, and finds the best combination that secures the customer the best coverage and reduces their insurance cost.

Q.Why is this happening and when did this phenomenon start?

A.The Florida property insurance companies were bathed in success in the years from 2007 up to 2017. By 2017 the number of insurance companies vying for their market share was at an all-time with record-low average premiums in Florida and our

community. Florida went 10 years without a major hurricane insurance event. Then the “perfect storm” of events occurred. 2017 and 2018 brought three major hurricanes to Florida. As carriers postured for the future and evaluated their losses, 2020 brought another major hurricane to Florida.

Q.So, the hurricanes of 2017, 2018, and 2020 are what you describe as the “perfect storm” of events?

A.No, not by themselves. You see, Florida had court decisions and statutes that had laid quiet for the most part before these storms. Statues designed to help homeowners secure fast and fair claim recovery in the event of storm damage claims turned out to be an invitation for legalized fraud by outlaw and opportunistic contractors, roofers, and their attorneys. Billions of dollars of unbudgeted reserves were wasted bringing the insurance industry to its knees. The courts and our legislature were slow to react which nearly resulted in an irreversible collapse of the entire industry, which would have killed tourism, real estate values, and the mortgage industry.

Q.What is being done to save and turn things around?

A.In December 2022, Governor DeSantis called a special session of the legislature. In a matter of days a sweeping insurance reform act was passed that was essential to build back the financial strength of the insurance industry.

Q.Is this law helping make things better?

A.It will but it is going to take time. Remember after everything was already in near collapse, hurricane Ian devastated the SW Florida Coast. So even though the laws today have corrected many mistakes of the past, the global insurance investors that we ultimately depend on in the form of reinsurance will take their time coming back to the table.

Q.Where does that leave us and when will it get better?

A.Our community will continue to see premium increases and people losing their coverage in 2023, 2024, and 2025. A few new players will enter the market hopefully providing some relief while they cross their fingers that they don’t get hurricanes for a few years. If they do they will fail. The global carriers will remain reluctant to risk additional capital in Florida until they have time to recover from the storms of 2020, 2022, and now 2023 with hurricane ___...

Q.Can you quickly summarize how you help so many people with your process?

A.I explained this to my wife yesterday, “If I owned a home in Seaside I would pay less and have better coverage than all my neighbors” This is simply because of knowing how to navigate the factors that affect the cost and availability of insurance along with the special relationships that I have with the active Florida insurance companies. So, I just do the same thing for my clients.

HOW DO SEASIDE OWNERS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOUR OFFER OF ASSISTANCE?

There are several ways to join in Simply text 850-699-8088 and provide your name and property address and we will reach out to you promptly You can also email me Grant Blackwell at Grant@coastalcoverage com and provide your name and Seaside address and feel free to share your insurance story or questions with me

GRANT BLACKWELL

Grant is a 35-year veteran of property insurance and is a teacher and writer of insurance principles with a BS Degree with a major in Real Estate and insurance. He is a specialist in construction defect risk management and all public liability issues. In 2020, 2021, and 2022, Grant and his team were suggested as the largest provider of new high-value home policies in Florida. Beyond insurance, Grant collects cars, enjoys boats, and everything else on 30A. He is establishing a local not-for-profit art and decorator studio.

Meet Grant Blackwell Q & A

President of Coastal Insurance

Grant Blackwell and his team at Coastal Insurance Agency are determined to help Realtors and their buyers navigate the uniquely complex Florida insurance market. The availability of insurance (supply) is at an all-time low while the costs are at record levels and continue to climb. Insurance companies have become very selective and are avoiding homes that they consider to be above minimum risk levels. These carriers only want homes in great condition and as the home age goes up the burden of proof of qualifying goes up. I sat down with Grant Blackwell and he provided an indepth review of the current insurance market and some healthy do’s and don’ts for realtors and homeowners.

Grant, what determines the cost and availability of insurance for a property?

There are 12 primary factors that determine the cost and availability of insurance: Age, Roof Age, Construction Type, Wind Mits, Condition, Location, Ownership Structure, Usage, Claims History, Credit Score, Coverage Amounts Selected, and Carrier Options.

Is it true that you can take anybody’s insurance policy, apply the 12 factors listed above, reduce anybody’s premium, and increase the number of companies willing to insure them?

That is a rather bold compliment it would be more accurate to say I can save 95% of people's money and improve their coverage

and insurability using knowledge and market influence if 95% of cases if I am given full rein to do so

When are 4-point inspections recommended?

Any home built prior to 2007 may benefit from a 4-point inspection. Homes built prior to 2001 must have a 4-point inspection with roof age documentation to achieve the best benefits and in many cases qualify for insurance.

Are wind mitigation inspection reports needed on NEW HOMES? Some insurance carriers now require Wind Mit reports on all homes regardless of age. The reason is that in Walton County, we now have areas where impact windows and doors are not required,

thus documentation is required. What is the number 1 thing that drives insurance costs? Q Q Q Q A A A A

Age The age of the home triggers the significance of each of the remaining items on the list of 12. Example: A home built in 2000 is over 20 years of age and it was built before the 2001 building code. This triggers roof age verification, wind mitigation verification, condition verification, and more by ordering a 4-point inspection and roof inspection including useful life remaining

What is the number 2 item?

Roof age. Any home over 15 years has potential challenges due to roof age alone. Some carriers are even using 10 years as their maximum age. Relators need to know the roof age and if the roof has been replaced document it must be documented by proof of permit date and/or paid invoice from the licensed roofer

Is it true that Elevation Certificates are no longer needed for homes in Special Hazard areas like AE and VE flood zones?

Effective Oct 2021 the National Flood Insurance Program enacted Flood Rating 2.0. This new rating system was designed to simplify how flood policies are rated Satellite images now drive the premium rating and Elevation Certificates are no longer required for any flood policy However, an elevation certificate might be helpful to lower the premium by demonstrating that the computer and satellite are not as accurate as the elevation certificate. The average premiums have gone up but this change has helped immensely when surveys and elevation certificates are not readily available and the closing term is short

Grant, homes over 20 years fall into the obvious category of needing to prove that they are above average by having 4-point inspections, roof inspections, wind mitigations and ultimately making the necessary improvements to qualify for coverage or the best premiums. Can you address how the other items on the list of 12 factors that drive cost availability come into play in the real world today?

Yes, here we go: Beyond the obvious structure issues previously discussed, Age, Roof Age, Condition, and various

documentation There are other major factors that affect which insurance companies might be interested in insuring a home. Location- Only a very select few insurance companies will insure homeslocated less than 1000 feet from the beach. Usage- Only select insurance carriers will insure short-term rentals of 7 days or less and even fewer will consider rentals of 3 days or less Ownership insurance companies have varying rules regarding ownership trust owned properties must complete trust questionnaires and in most cases, the trustees are the residents. Some carriers do not insure trust because at the time of loss identifying beneficiaries of the claim payment can be difficult. LLCs are common today but most carriers want the LLC to be limited to one or two properties. Multiple properties under one LLC or out-of-state LLCs can be problematic and reduce options Claims History, This one might seem obvious but today insurance companies are looking at the claim history of the buyer but also any claims previously paid out to previous owners of the property being purchased. Credit Score has become a significant issue with insurance companies as the higher the credit score the better-maintained homes tend to be and low credit scores can indicate higher moral risks

What are some property scenarios that Realtors should be mindful of that can create insurance issues for closings?

HIGH-VALUE HOMES – There is currently a very limited number of insurance companies willing to insure more than $ 3 million on the dwelling, especially in Walton County with $5M total locations without buildings, contents, etc. These are important sales for the realtors and significant respect should be given to the process. Only a few insurance agents can handle these and we should be introduced to the buyers immediately upon going to the contract or before. REMODELS –Homes purchased with the plan to close and remodel are a huge problem in today’s market They can be done but working closely with our insurance partner is critical These are almost impossible for most agents to insure today. MODEL HOMES – Special permission and usually exceptions must be made by insurance companies on these. FLAT ROOFS – Flat roofs have become a recent fad and create major issues for the buyer. Common frame construction roofs do not qualify with any carrier in Florida with full coverage without major exclusions Flat Roofs are the next class action category Several policies recently issued in our area are at risk of not paying out due to false application willingness information. There are very few properties that real insurance experts like Coastal can’t get insured and priced fairly if everyone works together with an open mind and learns

How long does it take to get an insurance quote and coverage binder in today’s market?

One day to 3 weeks depending on the complexity of the property

What are some good basic realtor habits?

1 Have an insurance agent partner and of course, I think it should be Coastal

2 Consider discussing your new listings and buyer options before going to contract to understand insurance challenges. Never share current seller exact premiums with buyers as they can be very misleading when compared to actual cost. Use your insurance partner to give you the best guess cost range.

3 When going to contract IMMEDIATELY introduce your insurance partner Coastal

4 Do not procrastinate, order appropriate inspections immediately so as to have time to make necessary improvements as needed well before closing.

5. DO NOT solicit insurance quotes for your clients. It is a huge mistake, it is not legal to deliver quotes for closings, and opens up a huge liability for the realtors.

6 The fact is, nobody can beat Coastal on price or quality in today’s market Referring your clients to Coastal guarantees your clients the best the market has to offer, but then if you feel compelled to give your clients more options refer them to additional quality agencies.

Meet Grant Blackwell Q & A

President of Coastal Insurance

Grant, what determines the cost and availability of insurance for a property?

Is it true that you can take anybody’s insurance policy, apply the 12 factors listed above, reduce anybody’s premium, and increase the number of companies willing to insure them?

That is a rather bold compliment it would be more accurate to say I can save 95% of people's money and improve their coverage

and insurability using knowledge and market influence if 95% of cases if I am given full rein to do so

When are 4-point inspections recommended?

WHY STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS?

LEADING REALTOR COACHES SAY...

#1. Strategic partnerships increase referrals, growth, business credibility, and identity with superior brand enhancement.

#2. Strategic partnerships enhance the client experience.

#3. Expand the range of services offered to your clients providing a memorable concierge-level of service leading to more repeated buyers and repeated referrals.

#4. Partnerships with respected businesses within your community are proven to greatly expand your referral base.

#5. Strategic Partnerships significantly improve the quality and levels of communication from the day a home is listed or considered for purchase throughout the sale and closing process. Realtors utilizing effective partnerships receive repeated buyers, referrals, and 5star customer reviews.

#6. Quality partnerships save hundreds of hours each year and improve closing ratios while providing you with more time to enjoy life.

A GREAT STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM IS LIKE HAVE MULTIPLE RELATOR ASSISTANCE FOR FREE

30A Advisor

WHYAREYOUR HOMEOWNERINSURANCE PREMIUSSOHIGH &WHATYOUCANDO ABOUTIT?

Since 2019 the Florida property insurance industry has spiraled out of control to a point of near collapse. In 2017 Florida had more insurance products available and at the lowest premium levels than ever. Florida home

owners had enjoyed access to over 40 Florida-admitted domiciled insurance companies and higher-risk homes had competitive options in the global surplus lines marketplace with carriers like Lloyds of London and more.

Until 2018 Florida homeowners and insurance companies alike enjoyed over 10 years of bliss with no hurricanes hitting Florida. The smaller 40 Florida-domiciled insurance companies built up policyholder reserves and felt comfortable seeking major growth with low premiums.

Everything changed when in 2017, 2018, and again in 2020 Florida was hit with four major hurricanes with cumulative losses of 100 Billion dollars.

Florida insurance companies had their policyholder reserves ravaged by the storms putting nearly all of the carriers on a financial watchlist by the state and financial rating bureaus. Then a problem unique to Florida arose causing a dozen or more carriers to go under in 2019 and 2020. Florida had some wellintended laws and court precedent that when coupled with the direct financial loss from the hurricanes created the perfect financial storm.

The statutory and court-driven issues multiplied the actual storm damage losses to incredible levels. Contractor, vendor, and roofer fraud exploded as did litigation against the insurance companies.

The laws that existed in Florida until December 2022 created an environment of what many call legalized fraud by Contractors, Vendors, Roofers, and their law firms. Two laws fed this outlaw feeding frenzy and nearly destroyed the Florida property insurance market.

The first was an Assignment of Benefits (AOB) a provision that allowed homeowners to bypass their insurance companies and assign their hurricane damage recovery rights to their contractor/roofer. These businesses offered to repair the

homes or put on new roofs without involving the insurance company or even having the insurance companies adjust the damage. They would in turn invoice the insurance companies with amounts that often were not reflective of the real damage. The next law that worked in conjunction with the AOB was a provision that provided one-way attorney fees to homeowners. This was a good law but when the homeowners gave their rights to the outlaw contractors, it immediately got out of control. The contractors could invoice the insurance company any ridiculous amount of money and if the

“Florida is second, only to California, as a difficult environment for insurance companies to be profitable due to laws and court decisions.” - Grant Blackwell

insurance company fought them and went to court, and only $1 was awarded to the plaintiff, the insurance company had to pay the plaintiff legal fees. Now, if this were not enough, another provision in the one-way attorney fee law also provided for accelerated attorney fees.

meowners fight for their rights and pay attorneys more so they would take the case, turned into a windfall for the attorneys for the outlaw contractors. Claims as little as $40,000 would generate plaintiff attorney fees over $500,000. It devastated the Florida insurance industry. Over $ 3.5 billion in legal fees were paid during this three-year period.

Premium increases started in 2019 then began to explode in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. In December 2022, Governor DeSantis called for a special session of the Florida legislature, and in the end insurance reform laws were put in place that eliminated the laws that attributed to the pending crash of the Florida insurance industry. This reform will help but it will take time. Right before the laws were passed hurricane Ian hit SW Florida hard and further damaged the remaining Florida insurance companies delaying the effectual benefits of the 2022 reform acts.

Today Florida continues to see major premium increases and the remaining carriers becoming more and more restrictive on the risk that they will take. Older homes, homes less than a mile from the beach, vacation rentals, and other issues are either getting major premium increases or being dropped by their insurance carriers.

The continued growth of Florida and the carrier’s new policy restrictions have created a huge void between supply and demand. Cumulative premium increases of 100-400% are common with 2024 and 2025 facing more premium increases and more homeowners being dropped by their carriers. Many carriers will also only consider offering renewal or new coverage if homeowners agree to add new roofs or other major home upgrades. It is easy to conclude that insurance carriers are looking for NEWER homes off the beach as they replace those policies that they purge. Any home over 20 years of age is immediately scrutinized heavily by the few insurance carriers that will even consider insuring an older home today. These carriers are looking for the best of the best as they know the value of their limited products.

There are probably around 20 total insurance companies that insure all the homes in our area. Today, 10 or fewer carriers are insuring homes that are now considered higher risk based on being 20 years or older and that number goes down based on roof age, short-term rental usage, and other factors. There are about 12 primary factors that determine your premium and insurability.

These are:

1. Age

2. Roof Age

3. Construction Type

4. Wind Mitigation Devices

5. Condition

6. Distance to the Gulf

7. Ownership type

8. Usage

9. Claims History

10. Coverage amounts selected

11. Credit score

12. Insurance carrier chosen

Every insurance company uses these same factors but out of the 10 or so active carriers, each carrier gives different amounts of weight to the various 12 factors. They all consider age as the number one consideration. Then they consider the remaining factors in their formula. One home might qualify for 5 carries, 1 carrier, or none. Some of the items on the list can be changed by the homeowner to qualify for more options which generate lower premiums.

Blanket shopping on one’s insurance can evolve into almost a waste of time. If 10 carriers might consider your home and if there are only 1, 2, or 3 carriers that might provide a quote, a homeowner has a very low probability of getting the best possible quote and policy.

THE ONLY WAY to ultimately be sure that a homeowner has the best premium given his 12 factors is to perform a complete review to establish the correct factors via a study of their current policy and/or renewal policy notices and a fresh home inspection. One wrong factor provided an insurance company can eliminate qualifying for coverage and double or even triple the premium.

Grant Blackwell and his team at Coastal Insurance Agency, one of the largest homeowner specialty agencies in Florida have developed a consulting approach that guarantees that a homeowner’s insurance rating uses correct premium development factors and that every insurance company out there looks at it.

Coastal’s studies and evaluations to date under their new program indicate that most homeowners are not rated correctly and pay significantly more than they should. This is not acceptable.

Coastal’s new consultive program will save 80-90% of homes over 20 years old money but it is also quite beneficial for newer homes as well. Every homeowner who goes through the simple process will benefit.

This great new consultive approach is also beneficial for newer homes. Like with older homes, every homeowner will benefit from participating in the program with a lot of newer homes improving their coverage and saving premiums as well. The process recently helped an owner in Burnt Pine reduce his premium by $50K by making significant changes to his coverage based on his wishes and risk tolerance.

The new insurance reform acts will ultimately encourage more insurance companies to invest in Florida but it is going to take a couple of storm-free summers to see any significant change to the market and the coastal communities will be the last to benefit on any notable scale. It is critically important for homeowners to recognize that they don’t have to wait but have the power to step up and control their insurance costs today rather than be at the mercy of the insurance companies.

For more information about the Florida insurance crisis or to learn more about Grant Blackwell’s Coastal Insurance Agency's new homeowner insurance initiative contact any senior agent at Coastal 850-231-0042 or email Grant Blackwell, Grant@CoastalCoverage.com, or program coordinator Jennifer Brooks, JBrooks@CoastalCoverage.com.

Grant Blackwell is President of Coastal Insurance Agency and Executive VP of Acentria Insurance Group. He has been an insurance professional for over 35 years.

WHYAREINSURANCE COMPANIESCONTINUING TOINCREASEPREMIUMS &WHATCANYOUDOTO FIGHTBACKANDWIN?

By Zach Ward, VP Acentria Insurance

Back in 2017, Florida had gone over 10 years without a major hurricane. Nearly 40 insurance companies were competing for our homeowner policies. Competition is the key to lower insurance premiums. In 2017 homeowner premiums were at an all-time low in Florida.

This all changed when multiple hurricanes hit Florida in 2017 and 2018, with Hurricane Michael affecting many of our friends and families. Then in 2020, another major hurricane hit Florida with the final nail driving with hurricane Ian in 2022. This completely changed the insurance landscape in Florida.

In 2019 we started getting the news that some Florida insurance companies were in financial trouble and premiums began to rise. By the end of 2020, it was evident that nearly a dozen or more companies would not survive and ultimately go under. Another dozen companies left Florida or stopped writing new insurance policies.

Since 2020 cumulative premiums have risen 100-1000%. People with older homes in parts of the state are losing their homes because the insurance is expensive. At home, primary and vacation homeowners have endured double or triple premiums with many being dropped by their insurance companies. Many have been forced to get new roofs when there was absolutely nothing wrong with their existing roofs.

Today only a few insurance companies are insuring coastal homes on the coast. They continue to raise premiums, drop policies, and demand home updates whether needed or not. Just changing insurance companies is not going to provide solid, long-term solutions. Still, Acentria has designed a new program that is going to change the way insurance is purchased and it is being offered to Gulf, Franklin, and Bay County homeowners.

JOINTHEMOVEMENT:You canfightbackandreduce yourpremiums.

FACT –

As many as 90% of home in certain age and usage groups are overcharged for their homeow premium. Insurance companies u about 10 primary factors to deter your premiums:

current premium and show you how it should be calculated. Further, we can show you subtle or substantial changes that you can make that qualify you for much lower premiums and better coverage.

IMPORTANT – Every insurance company uses these to determine your premium BUT they all apply a different weight to the items. You have had no way to know if the premium factors used are correct. Our company has developed a Homeowner Insurance Initiative where we dig deep into your

Join the movement, fight back, and learn how you can largely control your insurance costs. Acentria has invested in a special advocacy program to help you control your insurance costs, not only today but for years.

Contact Zach Ward Acentria Apalachicola (850) 653-2161

Zach.Ward@Acentria.com

Dear Friends and Neighbors:

The Acentria Homeowner Insurance Initiative has saved homeowners hundreds of thousands of dollars since being rolled out in the Destin area two months ago and they are just getting started.

I am so thrilled to announce that we are now offering this service through our Apalachicola office for homeowners in Gulf, Franklin, and Mexico Beach.

The ideal home will be insured for $300k -$3,000,000 with 20-plus year homes and short-term rentals enjoying nearly a 90% chance of premium savings and/or improved coverage. All homes have a great chance at sustained premium reductions.

Homeowners pay all the increased premiums year after year without anyone explaining how their premium is calculated and knowing if their premium is the best, it can be.

With your current policy in hand, we break down every detail of your policy and our team outlines all deficiencies. 10 characteristics determine the premium on all policies. We identify yours, correct any that are wrong, take advantage of the positive factors, and mitigate or eliminate the negative. (We might need a fresh home inspection to take advantage of this part but well worth it.)

Join the movement, let us help you. We know a lot of folks will want us to be their agent in the future, but no purchase is required. As we like to say “Insurance is expensive, and good advice is always free.”

Best regards, Zach

Ward

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Grant Blackwell and his team advocate for homeowners by Tess Farmer

wenty-five years ago, Grant Blackwell moved his young family to Destin from Mississippi where he had been a commercial property insurance specialist for 12 years Blackwell had visited a friend who recently purchased a condo and listened to him go on and on about the lack of insurance options in Destin. A month later, Blackwell quit his job and moved his family to Florida with a plan to build an insurance agency specializing in providing insurancefornewhomeandcondobuyers

Blackwell's timing was ideal, as realtors began selling homes in new neighborhoods including Destiny, Kelly Plantation, Regatta Bay and several smaller new communities The condo tower craze in Destin and Panama City Beach was booming and realtors found Blackwell’s positive attitude andaimtopleaserefreshing.Hisbusiness now called Coastal Insurance took off as he was able to add valuable new team members

Flood insurance was extremely complicated and with Blackwell'sformaldegreeinrealestateand insurance, he became the local flood insurance expert, which only fueled faster growth for Coastal Insurance In Coastal's second year, the agency was named FEMA's National Flood Insurance Agency of theYear

Intheearly2000s,thelittlescenic Highway30-Asawitsrealestateboom and Communities like Watercolor Watersoundhadlotteriestoevengetaparcel,sothe writingwasonthewall:Coastalneededanofficeon30A In 2003, Coastalopenedits and likeDestin,the timingwasperfect, andthislocation rapid 30-A office enjoyed growthaswell

and Shahid won both Agency and Individual Agent of the Year Impact Awardsfor2023.

Thisyear,Coastalannouncedtheir CommunityInsuranceInitiative,whichis consulting-based programthataimstoteachhomeowners howtolowertheirpremiumsandimprove This advocacy programcalledtheHomeownerInsurance Initiativepromisestoreducecollective premiumsacrossthecommunityby $1millionandpotentiallymore a consumer-advocate their insurance coverage unprecedented community

Blackwell's efforts have had a tangibleimpactonthelivesofmany Floridahomeowners Byensuringfair treatmentandjustpremiums,hehelps for greater insurance also contributestoabroadermovement seekingtocreateamoreequitableand transparentinsurancemarketinFlorida mitigate the financial burden homeowners accountability and fosters the within industry His advocacy work

With seven years of success and a promising future, the real estate crash of 2008 put the brakes on the growth of all businesses in the area, including Coastal. Just as things began to come back to life, the Deep Horizonoilspilltappedthebrakesagain.In2012,

Blackwell and Coastal invested in the future with the hiring of Kim Shahid and Jessica Millsaps, and the new of Coastal was born Today, Shahid is one of the largest individual homeowner insurance agents inthecountryand Millsapshasrisen tosalesoperationsmanager Coastalnowhasover20 senioragentsonboththenewbusinessteamand customerserviceteams

ThefutureisbrightforCoastalandthe communitiesitservesalongtheEmeraldCoast.Coastal

Blackwell has always been motivated by serving his community and gives back every chance he gets He and his wife, Robin, lived in Grayton Beach for 20 years, where Blackwell served as president of the Grayton HOA for 12 years. Grant's business interest extends beyond Coastal to building an annual show house featured on the new real estate reality TV show and Southern Sands, with Blackwell Coastalservingasproductionpartners Coastal looks forward to years of serving as the community's insurance advisor. The team is poised to partner with homeowners seeking insurance advice or looking to explore new insurance options Blackwell has set Coastal apart by creating a true partnership and serving as an advocate during another tumultuous time in thelocalmarket.

625GrandBoulevard,MiramarBeach,Suite205E Monday-Friday8:30a m -4:30p m 850231-0042 www.CoastalCoverage.com Grant@CoastalCoverage com

Grant Blackwell with the Coastal Insurance team

SOCIAL MEDIA

REALTORS

NEWSWEEKsaysthattheFloridainsurancecrisis threatensFloridarealestatesales,andsomeexpertssay incoastalcommunitiesinsuranceisabiggerthreatto yourclosingsthaninterestrates!

ReferallyourbuyerstoCoastalandyouwillneverhaveto worryaboutinsuranceforyourclients.

Thecurrentinsurancecrisisisjeopardizingrealestatesales statewide.Yourclientsareoftenbeingofferedinferior policiesandhavingdifficultiesafterclosing.Insurance optionsareatanall-timelowandpricesareatanall-time high.

COASTALINSURANCEAGENCYthrivesinthishardmarket. WehavemoreinsuranceoptionsandTHEbestprice, PERIOD!

CONDO ASSOCIATIONS ARE SEEING PREMIUM INCREASES OF 50-100% OR MORE AND 2024 WILL BRING MORE. WE HAVE NEW EXCITING OPTIONS FOR SOME ASSOCIATIONS.

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H O M E O W N E R I N S U R A N C E

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COASTAL INSURANCE AGENCY HAS DEVELOPED NEW SOLUTIONS TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY DURING THIS HORRIFIC FLORIDA PROPERTY INSURANCE CRISIS

MORE PREMIUM INCREASES ARE A CERTAINTY IN 2024 AND 2025. IF YOUR PREMIUM INCREASES BY 35% OR MORE OR YOU JUST WANT TO BE SURE YOU HAVE THE BEST INSURANCE AVAILABLE GIVE US A CALL.

90%ofareahomeownersarepayingtoo muchfortheirhomeownerinsurance. Insurancecompanypremium calculationerrorsareepidemic.

Grant Blackwell

90% OF AREA HOMEOWNERS ARE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THEIR HOMEOWNER INSURANCE. INSURANCE COMPANY PREMIUM CALCULATION ERRORS ARE EPIDEMIC.

GrantBlackwell

IF I BOUGHT YOUR NEIGHBORS HOME MY INSURANCE WOULD BE CHEAPER, HAVE BETTER COVERAGE WITH LESS PUBLIC LIABILITY... and I’m doing the same for you!

NewYear,NewBeginnings

HOMEOWNERINSURANCE

“CoastalInsuranceAgencyhasdeveloped NEWsolutionstohelpourcommunityduring thishorrificFloridapropertyinsurancecrisis

CONTACT SONNET AT 850-424-1575

Morepremiumincreasesareacertaintyin 2024and2025 Ifyourpremiumincreasesby 35%ormoreoryoujustwanttobesureyou havethebestinsuranceavailablegiveusa call” GrantBlackwell

SONNET@COASTALCOVERAGECOM CONTACT AMY AT 850-424-1575 AMY@COASTALCOVERAGECOM

RealtorsPayAttention

Thecurrentinsurancecrisisisjeopardizingrealestate salesstatewide Yourclientsareoftenbeingoffered inferiorpoliciesandhavingdifficultiesafterclosing Insuranceoptionsareatanall-timelowandpricesare atanall-timehigh COASTALINSURANCEAGENCYthrivesinthishard market.WehavemoreinsuranceoptionsandTHEbest price,PERIOD!

850-231-0042 CHEERS YALL!

GRANT BLACKWELL

Withthehelpofmyteam,Ihavedevelopeda groundbreaking,game-changinginsurance program.Ourconsultiveapproachwillreducethe premiumby80-90%ofhomeownerswho participate Ourinitialtargetgroupishomesover 20yearsofage.

Getonboardandlet’sdrivedownyourinsurance cost.

4CALLING BIRDS

3FRENCH HENS

MygrandisGrant Blackwell,Icall himG! WhenyouseeG, pleaseremind himheis supposedtotake metoDisney Word!!!

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