JUPITER, Fla. — Homeowners who fail to use hurricane shutters during a storm and then file a claim for damages face penalties from insurance companies, experts say.
Michael Allatt is putting up shutters on all windows of his condo about a block from the beach in Jupiter.
“I’m not worried about the wind itself,” said Allatt, a retiree from Canada. “I’m worried about something flying into the window.”
“I’m sort of anxious and a little leery,” added his wife Carol. “But those shutters are going to make us feel good.”
Nearby condos in Jupiter look like a jigsaw puzzle with a few missing pieces, as some have shutters installed, and some are left unprotected on the eve of Tropical Storm Nicole’s arrival.
Neighbors said many of those with shutters up are snowbirds who haven’t arrived for winter.
Most of those here, have not put up their protective shutters.
“Some clients say, I won’t put up anything until a category 3,” said Lantana insurance agent Robert Norberg. “But then if they have damage, it’s going to be a problem.”
Norberg thinks a few more homeowners would put up shutters if they read their policies, as most insurers impose penalties for people who fail to use shutters, and then file a claim for damages.
Contact 5 got a copy of a standard policy from Citizens Insurance, the state run program, and the largest property insurer.
It imposes a penalty of up to 15% on claims for those who don’t put up shutters in advance of a storm. So, if a storm does $50,000 worth of damage, people who failed to put up and secure their shutters could be docked up to $7,500 on their damage claims.
“For anybody right now on the east coast, where all the hurricane watches or warnings are up, it would behoove them to at least attempt to put up their shutters,” said Norberg.
Allatt didn’t know about the potential insurance savings from shutters. He put them up to be safe.
“The one thing you have to worry about is flying objects,” said Allatt.
