Why insurance is costly

What Hurricane Ian could mean to Florida’s struggling property insurance industry | Oct. 1

Property insurance rates in Florida are the highest in the country, partly the result of litigation. Florida’s insurance commissioner has said that the state accounts for between 7.75% and 16% of the nation’s homeowners’ claims, but between 64% and 76% of the nation’s litigated homeowners’ claims. Given that, why wouldn’t insurance companies leave? Yet I have read that many homeowners want or expect that the wind coverage from their homeowner’s insurance should cover flood damage even though flood damage is excluded from their coverage. Are insurance companies now to pay claims for what they did not insure? No wonder insurance is expensive or unavailable.

I was a small construction subcontractor for over 20 years. I was sued too often. Two cases were easy to dismiss — when we were sued for work we had not contracted and for a wrongful death on a job site before we worked there. These were dismissed. Most lawsuits involved multiple subcontractors. Significant money was spent in legal fees. When I strenuously objected that our work was not part of the problem, the insurance company simply said, “Get used to it. It is legalized extortion.” On other occasions, they said it would cost more to go to trial. Given this, we should expect to see insurance costing a lot more.

John (Jack) Schierholz, St. Petersburg

He’ll be back

How Hurricane Ian changed the Florida governor’s race | Oct. 13

To see the endless commercials heaping praise on Gov. Ron DeSantis, you would think he’s the greatest, most compassionate and caring person ever — almost a saint. What happened to the loud, blustering bully we’ve all seen in action? The one who dismissed COVID protections, disrespected women’s rights, tried to ban gay acknowledgement, silenced teachers and shipped out immigrants with our tax dollars? I believe that guy will be back on Nov. 9, win or lose.

Farah Stokes, Tampa

Good for Liz Cheney

What was accomplished in the Jan. 6 inquiry | A Wall Street Journal editorial, Oct. 15

As the Jan. 6 hearings near the end I, a liberal Democrat, must say how proud I am of strong Republican Liz Cheney. She brings honor and sanity to the Republican Party, which seems to be veering into madness. We do need two parties. We need both parties working fairly for the good of the people. Liz Cheney can be a fine leader in that direction.

Lorraine Madison, St. Petersburg