State Help for Building Owners

What: In August, Florida moved to help owners of small commercial buildings insure for wind damage. The state reactivated the Florida Property & Casualty Joint Underwriting Association (PCJUA) and is offering coverage for commercial, non-residential property with a maximum insured value of $1 million. To obtain PCJUA coverage, an owner cannot own commercial, non-residential property in Florida that totals more than $1 million, excluding properties insured by Citizens Property insurance Corp. Contents coverage will be available up to $750,000 for both the building owner and tenants. Business interruption coverage, up to $250,000, also is available if the contents are insured by the PCJUA.

Where: All parts of the state except areas where Citizens writes wind-only commercial policies.

Who: Businesses must obtain rejections from at least three insurers and one surplus insurance line carrier. The business's insurance agent must certify that coverage is not available in the private insurance market.
Rates and deductible: PCJUA rates must be actuarially sound. For details on the rate filing, go to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation at floir.com. The minimum deductible available is 5%.

Agents: Check with your agent to see if he or she has been named by the PCJUA to handle the policies. ICAT Specialty Insurance Co. of Tampa is the carrier.

Tags: Florida Small Business, Entrepreneur