A Delray Beach homeowner who got a new roof this year now is finding out her insurance will not go up.
Betty Haygood contacted WPTV after finding out her insurance renewal was going up $300 even though she had a new roof installed in August.
Her insurer, Universal, based in South Florida, told us they were looking over Haygood's policy and gave her a new quote of $3,087, which is $90 less than what she is paying now.
"I’m OK with that," the 76-year-old home healthcare worker told WPTV.
"You have helped by bringing it to attention because so many people and neighbors and people I didn’t know reached out to me about that, because I’m not the only one going through something like this," Haygood said.
Haygood says she does plan to shop around some other insurance companies, something insurance experts now recommend.
Litigation reforms in Florida have led to more insurers, more competition and lower rates.
But lower rates don't always mean lower premiums as inflation has made it more expensive to build and repair homes.
Many insurers also focus on the age of a roof in assessing risk, and experts also advise checking with an agent first.
Lee Wiglesworth of Wiglesworth-Rindom Insurance Agency in Stuart says one step can solve issues down the road.
"Call an agent who can shop multiple carriers and say what would it save me if I got a new roof," Wiglesworth says.