Latest news with #FloridaInsuranceCouncil
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida's ‘Fallen Tree Act' postponed just as hurricane season begins — here's what to know about this bill
As the National Hurricane Center eyes a potential storm off the southeast coast this week, Florida's hurricane season has kicked off — along with the inevitable damage it will bring. That leaves many homeowners anxious to know the fate of Florida's proposed Fallen Tree Act. Looks like they'll have to wait till the 2026 hurricane season. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) The bill was originally slated to take effect this July — in time for peak hurricane season between mid-August and late October. But as the Talahassee Democrat reports, Florida lawmakers indefinitely postponed debate on the bill in order to discuss the state budget. The Fallen Tree Act may or may not be reintroduced in 2026. If it is reintroduced and passes, it will shift liability for fallen trees onto the property owners whose trees fall. For now, Floridians are still stuck paying for any damage on their own property caused by their neighbor's tree — unless they can prove clear negligence on the part of their neighbor. Proponents of the bill believe it's unfair for people to have to pay for property damage caused by their neighbor's tree. Even if insurance covers the costs, each claim means higher premiums and paying a deductible. Advocates of the Fallen Tree Act also liked the fact that it would grant homeowners the right to remove a neighbor's tree if it was growing partially on their property without permission. But as Medium reports, not everyone was in favor of the bill. Some argued that extreme weather events like hurricanes and tornadoes are beyond a homeowner's control. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it The Florida Insurance Council expressed concern that the bill would lead to an uptick in litigation between neighbors that would, in turn, lead to more lawsuits against insurance companies. Others warned that the Fallen Tree Act would trigger higher homeowners insurance premiums due to the aforementioned potential increase in lawsuits. Finally, some critics worried the bill would discourage people from planting trees, leading to environmental impacts. One way or another, Florida homeowners need to prepare for property damage due to hurricanes this year. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations predicts "above-normal hurricane activity" in the Atlantic, with 13 to 19 named storms. The cheapest home insurance policy may not offer the best coverage in the event of damage. Read your policy carefully to know what's covered and what your deductibles look like. Make sure you have enough saved up to cover your deductible in the event of fallen tree damage. Even better, save up an emergency fund that can cover at least three months of essential bills. Most policies don't cover tree removal until a tree actually causes damage. Even when tree removal is covered, there's usually a limit of about $1,000 per tree, which doesn't necessarily cover the entire cost of the job. This Old House puts the average cost of professional tree removal at $200 to $2,000. The cost hinges on a number of factors including the size, type and location of the tree. Get estimates. While you can proactively remove trees on your own property to prevent damage, you can't necessarily force a neighbor to do the same. If there's a tree on a neighbor's property that's threatening yours — say, because it's dead or the branches have not been trimmed in ages — you should put something in writing to that neighbor expressing concern and asking them to handle the problem. Keep copies of that communication in case you need to prove negligence in the course of an insurance claim. An alternative is to offer to split the cost of tree removal with a neighbor if you're worried their tree will cause harm to your property. Let's say it costs $800 to remove the tree and you split it evenly. If your homeowners insurance deductible is $750, you come out ahead by spending $400 to address the problem. Not only does that save you money, but it spares you a potential headache. Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now This is how American car dealers use the '4-square method' to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida bill would shift responsibility when a tree falls on a neighbor's home
Florida has a lot of hurricanes and even more trees. But if your neighbor's tree falls on your house, you could be responsible for the damage. It's called the Massachusetts rule, and State Senator Jonathan Martin (R-Fort Myers) believes it's outlived its usefulness. 'This Massachusetts Rule is hundreds of years old, and it was put in place back when everyone lived on farms. Nobody had houses on their property lines and if a tree fell on your property, that was free wood,' said Martin during a committee hearing in early April. Martin is sponsoring legislation that would make homeowners responsible for damage caused by trees on their property. Mark Friedlander with the Insurance Information Institute argues the 'Fallen Tree Act' would more or less codify what courts have already held in litigation involving trees falling on neighbors' homes. 'Courts in Florida have typically ruled in favor of the impacted homeowner. Meaning, they have ruled that the party responsible for the tree must pay the damages,' said Friedlander. But the idea got some pushback in its first committee stop. Read: Florida democrats fear new legislation would set the stage for 'fetal personhood' ruling George Feijoo with the Florida Insurance Council expressed concern over the lack of distinction between healthy and unhealthy trees. 'We're particularly concerned that the bill will lead to increased litigation specifically between neighbors, which is not sound public policy to incentivize, in our opinion,' said Feijoo. But Martin argued neighbors are already suing each other, and clarifying who is liable would only stand to reduce litigation. 'This is a solution to a problem that will bring down insurance costs and it'll keep our communities safer during hurricanes and shortly after hurricanes,' said Martin. The bill still has two more committee stops in both chambers. With only three weeks left in session, it seems the Fallen Tree Act may be falling on deaf ears. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
