Letter: Who is insured?

Editor, Daily News:

Our insurance company has told us that there will be an almost 600 percent increase just because our insurance company (Nationwide) is pulling out of Florida.

We never had a claim in 20 years, and Hurricane Wilma hit only three miles away and didn't so much as turn over a roof shingle. Our condos are made of concrete with walls that go above our roofs so as to divide the roofs into roofs that cover only two units each.

We have five buildings — 72 units, three buildings with 16 units (8 roofs) and two buildings with 12 units (6 roofs) designed independent of each other. So if a hurricane did grab and pull off a roof, it wouldn't be that much, and we are built like bunkers.

My unit (downstairs) has a spancrete ceiling — my neighbor's floor. The only weak point in this whole building would be the roofs. Our risk is minimal to an insurance company, so an increase of 600 percent in cost is ridiculous. And taking our deductible from 2 percent plus $2,500 per incident to 5 percent plus $10,000 per incident is price-gouging.

The time has come for the government to step up and protect us from the ridiculous overcharging. How can anyone justify charging each unit $1,597 for concrete bunkers? This coverage is only for outside replacement of the buildings!

It is time to stand up for the people instead of corporate America (the insurance companies). We, the people, need protection from such actions made by insurance companies.

The politicians worked for the lobbyists and passed laws over the last 50 or more years to protect these companies; now they need to come back to the people and help the people.

Bill Michaels , Naples, Board member, Winter Park VI