[Bambi]

Drove down Legacy Lane at 9 am this morning-nothing unusual.. Returned two hours later and found flagmen directing traffic and about eight trucks just past the gate. A LARGE sinkhole had opened in a resident's back yard on Legacy just past the gate. It looked about 3-5 feet deep and was between the house and the road. It must be " sinkhole season." Hope they had insurance.

[keithwand]

Originally Posted by Happinow

We are a new build South of 466A in Sanibel and our zip is 32163

I had no idea we had a different zip code than the other TVers. Is the rest of TV 32162?

[shcisamax]

Sure hope zip 32163 is a good one for sink hole insurance.

[janmcn]

Originally Posted by keithwand

I had no idea we had a different zip code than the other TVers. Is the rest of TV 32162?

Most of the rest of The Villages is 32162 except for the Lake County portion which is 32159.

[spk7951]

Originally Posted by Bambi

Drove down Legacy Lane at 9 am this morning-nothing unusual.. Returned two hours later and found flagmen directing traffic and about eight trucks just past the gate. A LARGE sinkhole had opened in a resident's back yard on Legacy just past the gate. It looked about 3-5 feet deep and was between the house and the road. It must be " sinkhole season." Hope they had insurance.

Not to sure that was a sinkhole but it may be soon. Went by that area around 11:15 on the way to Oakleigh and the water was flowing down the road. Some workers were trying hard to get the water shut off and when we went back by there around 2 they had a large hole dug in someones yard. Looked more like a water main break to me.

[CarGuys]

Originally Posted by Happinow

We are a new build South of 466A in Sanibel and our zip is 32163

Have you called a agent?

These and other posts have made others aware of limited or no sinkhole insurance in some new areas. That is something the Governor is working on now.

Some insurance companies will have you do the test first.

People should have insurance pre-quotes in hand before the build.

I know that in Tamarind there is at present only one company that will write for this new area.

[Advogado]

The sinkholes that I know about are close to golf courses. Does anyone know if the golf courses have their own wells and could be depleting the aquifer?

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by shcisamax

Sure hope zip 32163 is a good one for sink hole insurance.

Don't count on it.

[shcisamax]

Russ: Are you basing that on a fact, something you know, or just commenting?

[villages07]

Originally Posted by Bambi

Drove down Legacy Lane at 9 am this morning-nothing unusual.. Returned two hours later and found flagmen directing traffic and about eight trucks just past the gate. A LARGE sinkhole had opened in a resident's back yard on Legacy just past the gate. It looked about 3-5 feet deep and was between the house and the road. It must be " sinkhole season." Hope they had insurance.

Per today's paper, this incident was a water main break and not a sinkhole.

To Advo.... Golf course irrigation is primarily via reclaimed water in the various ponds.

[CarGuys]

Originally Posted by shcisamax

Russ: Are you basing that on a fact, something you know, or just commenting?

I can't remember which thread(s) or where I read this but it was posted that sinkhole insurance in some new developements will not be available. ALso in FLa papers. Bill might have the links he is the good at that!

Fla legistation is at this moment working on this. Coverage once mandated has expired from the law.

It goes back to.

1: a non established record of activitity in the new developed areas.

2: insurance companies wanting to gouge and or ignore the homeowners

3: a past history of sink hole fraud in certain parts of FLA

The best advise I have is for all who are building new in TV to get to you insurance agent and get the facts straight from them. You can also spend under 500 and have professional companies test your land.

I do know for a fact that there are no multiple sinkhole carriers competeing for your business. This drives the price up and up!

When there is a tract record of few claims in five years or so the rates may remain the same and not go up much. IMHO

Russ has done his homework I agree with him.

We were very very lucky and got our insurance just under the gun.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

Herv, rather than looking back for prior threads on whether or not someone felt sinkhole coverage will or won't be available in the new areas, I elected to contact our agent and get the scoop from her directly:

Rita Canty with Brightway Insurance out of Jacksonville - (904)646-1850.

Our policy on our patio villa in Duval was underwritten by Security First Insurance Co. through them just over a year ago. Brightway currently represents 41 of the 44 "admitted" (ie. approved by the state) companies that underwrite H.O. insurance in FL. Other insurance agencies only work with a few companies.

Here's what I got just a bit ago from my phone conversation with Rita:

- It is not necessarily easy to get sinkhole coverage added to a H.O. policy.....but it is not impossible if your home is considered viable to be covered. She did acknowledge that over the past two years, it has gotten more difficult. However, she was unaware of any companies refusing to write sinkhole coverage in any specific areas.

- Each request for coverage is reviewed on a case-by-case basis - a company wants to assess their risk in providing sinkhole coverage for your property. There is a process to go through - it is not as simple and straightforward as, say, calling your insurance agent and changing the deductible on your car insurance policy on the spot.

- Nearly all companies are now requiring some type of pre-coverage inspection which will help them assess the current condition of the property relative to sinkhole potential. She said most of the companies are using a third-party organization that specializes in such inspections - SDII was the company that did ours. SDII Global Corporation > Home The insurance company split the cost of the inspection with us so our out-of-pocket for the inspection was $75 (early 2011) - and this 'split' was mentioned up-front and voluntarily by Rita at the time.....no arm-twisting on our part. Your experience with another company might differ.

My suggestion would be to check with the agent of your choice about what the process is for the company/ies they represent IN ADVANCE of purchasing a property if you are locked in to wanting sinkhole coverage. We lucked out - the whole sinkhole coverage concept was new to us when we bought. Fortunately, our home passed inspection and we were able to get the coverage added a few months later......though it was not inexpensive (it added 19% to the total cost of our H.O. policy for this year!). If you find you're having problems, contact Rita for her input. I'd think if any insurance agency would be able to help, it would be them given that they're representing nearly all the companies able to write policies in FL.

Disclaimer: We have absolutely no affiliation, direct or indirect, with Rita or Brightway Insurance.

Bill

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by shcisamax

Russ: Are you basing that on a fact, something you know, or just commenting?

No fact. But unlikely that any part of Sumter County would be covered (In My Opinion) regardless of the zip. If the insurance company doesn't like the risk in 32162 then I don't think the new area would be covered. Same basic geography.

[CarGuys]

Thanks Bill, Your a good mentor and a " Go to Resource"

I did exactly what you recommend. Like you we went to our agent and we were lucky with getting our policies. In fact I had several close friends in Tamarind work with me also.

My Post was for all the new or soon to purchase buyers reading. I believe that we are not starting panic but as per the TOTV I feel it is a nice gesture to give people a heads up.

Some attack that we are starting a panic. I was shocked to find out how close we came to NOT getting coverage or a huge deductible.

As you most correctly stated. You and I both found that a call to your agent is priceless.

I would someday hope like a used home inspection a new lot would have the requirement to provide sinkhole inspection to give those peace of mind.

Good companies with technology of ground sonar and test drilling can determine a yea! or nay!

I am afraid that these rates are going to climb unless Fla law restores insurance sinkhole reasonable coverage.

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by CarGuys

Good companies with technology of ground sonar and test drilling can determine a yea! or nay!

I was told that these type of tests are many thousands of $$