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Clearwater Florida Home Insurance | Check now or Cry Later if your Home Insurance Covers Sinkholes

By
Real Estate Agent with Charles Rutenberg Realty

Beware of The Insurance Onion - What You Don't Know Stinks and Will Make you Cry

Kim Marshall Clearwater home insurance agent explains insurance pitfallsWhen we discuss personal insurance we're discussing the insurance that protects your home, your cars, your boat, your motorhome, umbrella policies and even the extras like your jewelry, antiques, etc. Most of us have coverage we bought because an insurance agent recommended it - but do we really understand what we have?

 I know I don't! Experience shows that what you don't know can definitely make you cry! Kim Marshall, top Pinellas Luxury Insurance Agent with Carlisle Fields in Clearwater Florida is our Personal Insurance Chef.

She skillfully peels back the layers of the Insurance Policy Onions (especially our Homeowners) for us so we can make informed choices and not have any unwanted surprises and find ourselves crying when we least expect.

 I love surprises, I just don't want them when it comes to finding out my home or my family don't have the financial coverage or protection we thought we did. Kim takes a consultative approach to educating her clients, explaining all the layers of insurance onion and her Insurance Recipe (her recommendation) is tailored to each individual's needs. This is why she's our Personal Insurance Chef

The Home Insurance Dish with Kim Marshall

We are pleased to announce that Kim will be a frequent guest here on Sandbars to Sunsets and she will continue peel back the different layers of the Insurance Onion oKim Marshall Clearwater home  insurance expert explains sink hole covrage and gapsand dish out the straight scoop on Clearwater Florida Home Owners Insurance. Kim will also answer the Insurance questions we hear most often and will keep us posted on what is new on the Insurance Menu and what's changing with regards to home owners insurance in the Tampa Bay area.

The Florida Legislature continues to work with the insurance industry to address the need for improved home owner insurance options. We sat down with Kim today and discussed Onion Layer #1 - The New "fine print" in many home owners insurance policies today that means you don't have sinkhole coverage. It's often these little changes that can be overlooked or misunderstood and can cause Clearwater home owners a get costly education down the road.

Did you even realize that "Pinellas County, is located in one of the more active and least understood karst regions of the world. Some of the more common karst features found in this area are sinkholes." - excerpt from The Karst Research Group's report out of the University of South Florida. 

Onion Peel #1 - Are You Really Covered for Sink Holes in Florida - Understanding the Fine Print?

In the video interview Clearwater Home Insurance Agent, Kim Marshall explains why you may not be covered for sinkholes anymore ....<click to read more and see video> 

Katrina Madewell
Charles Rutenberg Rlty- More than 5,000 agents(813) 777-1196 - Tampa, FL
Tampa FL Homes for sale | Tampa Bay - (813) 777-1196
I was just talking to Lisa Hill earlier today about writing an insurance Blog!  As always Cyndee, an excellent job on your blog post!
Oct 08, 2007 04:24 PM
Paula Henry
Home to Indy Team @ HomeSmart Realty Group - Avon, IN
Realtor - Indianapolis Real Estate - 317-605-4174
Cyndee- Important info!! I find many do not know what their insurance coverage covers and if it is sufficient. Good you have a guest blogger to asist your Clearwater home owners in these important decisions.
Oct 08, 2007 05:41 PM
Thesa Chambers
West + Main - Bend, OR
Principal Broker - Licensed in Oregon
Having an expeirenced insurance person on your side is so important - there are a lot of unknowns that can be very frustrating and costly - I look forward to hearing more and I am sure your public will too
Oct 08, 2007 06:48 PM
Brad Andersohn
Retired Executive Director of Education at eXp - Boulder Creek, CA
ActiveBrad - 707.646.1876
Cyndee - understanding the fine print is one thing, reading it is another! LOL!  Great post, something to really think about huh?  :-)
Oct 08, 2007 09:23 PM
Jennifer Fivelsdal
JFIVE Home Realty LLC | 845-758-6842|162 Deer Run Rd Red Hook NY 12571 - Rhinebeck, NY
Mid Hudson Valley real estate connection
Cyndee - Teaming up with Kim is an excellent idea.  Your client will appreciate the valuable insurance information that will be provided to them.
Oct 08, 2007 10:09 PM
Katerina Gasset
The Gasset Group & Get It Done For Me Virtual Services - Provo, UT
Amplify Your Real Estate & Life Dreams!
Cyndee-  I just put on my schedule last week to call my insurance agent who is awesome to do a post about her! Isn't this a great idea! Insurance is one of the most searched terms on google, it will be curious to see how we show up! Katerina
Oct 08, 2007 10:48 PM
Susie Roscoe
Signature Realty Associates - Brandon, FL
Real Estate Specialist | Brandon, FL
Cyndee - this is really important!  This "new feature" regarding Homeowners' Insurance is a true blessing for your readers, buyers and sellers in Clearwater, FL.  These are things not every Realtor will think to share.  Excellent source(s) once again provided by you and Jack to your clients of Clearwater Beach!
Oct 08, 2007 10:54 PM
Missy Caulk
Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI
Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate
Cyndee, can't wait to see the new launch, looking good. I love that onion pic, must be a Vadillia.
Oct 08, 2007 11:42 PM
Mana Tulberg
805 County Real Estate - Camarillo, CA
Real Estate Agent - Camarillo CA
Cyndee, Very important information here for everyone. I am so glad you are doing this for home owners in your area. Most will probably call their insurance agent after they read your post to clarify their policy.
Oct 09, 2007 03:35 AM
Chris Griffith
Downing-Frye Realty, Bonita Springs, FL - Bonita Springs, FL
Bonita Springs Listing Specialist - Agent
The sick and sad fact of the matter is an insurance company can refuse to pay and make any innocent person suffer.  Anyone else watch Katrina come ashore?  The fingerprints of greed are all over.
Oct 09, 2007 07:21 AM
David A. Podgursky PA
THE PODGURSKY GROUP @ Re/Max Direct - Boynton Beach, FL
THE PODGURSKY GROUP - Make the Right Move!

I feel like I learn something new about insurance daily

I have a client that was told to get a windstorm inspection... for $150, the insurance quote dropped almost $2000 a year just for having a 3rd party make sure shutters were installed properly, the garage door is to code etc

Oct 09, 2007 10:07 AM
Ashley Drake Gephart
Drake Intel Group - Albuquerque, NM
Cyndee as always you have the information your clients in Clearwater need. I would never have thought about sinkholes in Florida. Great to have a good insurance agent to work with.
Oct 09, 2007 11:44 AM
Kaye Thomas
Real Estate West - Manhattan Beach, CA
e-PRO, Manhattan Beach CA
Cyndee.. What a great idea... Insurers have a way of changing the coverage just as you need it..
Oct 09, 2007 12:41 PM
» Bill Burress Nationwide Mortgage Originator
» Bill Burress Nationwide Mortgage Originator - Fort Myers, FL
Cyndee: Good point. I guess a homeowner could really get a sinking feeling when they find they don't have sink hole coverage when they need it.
Oct 09, 2007 04:31 PM
Billnulls Blog Florida Realty Professional
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL
AHWD
Cyndee- thanks for the update on sinkholes! I know Dunedin has plenty of them and there are sections of Safety Harbor too! It is good to know that the coverage is changing!
Oct 10, 2007 05:20 AM
Loretta Buckner
Real World Properties, Inc.| Your Real Estate Consultant for Life - Palm Harbor, FL
Your GREEN Real Estate Consultant For Life!
Wonderful, wonderful post! I am so happy to see some real, good information on insurance--such a hot topic right now, with all of the changes in Florida! Way to go, Cyndee!
Oct 10, 2007 12:53 PM
Cyndee Haydon
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL
727-710-8035 Clearwater, Beach Short Sales Luxury Condos &Homes
Thank you to everyone who encouraged Kim Marshall on her first interview. We are lucky to have a Clearwater home insurance expert to keep us posted on this important topic - We can't wait to see what our Personal Lines Insurance Chef is going to dish up next!  
Oct 10, 2007 01:42 PM
Rita Taylor
None - Sanford, NC
Sanford NC Real Estate - Homes for Sale in Sanford North Carolina

Cyndee,

I love the analogy - definitely don't want to have to peel back the layers to understand your home insurance.  

Oct 10, 2007 03:48 PM
Tom Plant
WINEormous.com - Murrieta, CA
Cyndee - Great job. I love the way you lay out the information in your posts. I always learn something from you.
Oct 22, 2007 02:44 AM