Charlotte County to close application for help with insurance deductibles on Friday

You have one more day to apply and get help paying your homeowner’s insurance deductible in Charlotte County.

The county is closing applications at 5 p.m. on Friday because they’ve gotten so many requests and funds are limited.

WINK News is learning some people have already found out they won’t get any money.

The lobby inside the Family Services Center in Port Charlotte was full of people picking up or dropping off their applications on Thursday.

Charlotte County thinks they’ve already gotten around 600 and expect hundreds more before they stop accepting applications on Friday.

With every day that goes by, the cracks and other damage in Karen Cantz’ garage, courtesy of Ian, are getting worse.

FEMA has already denied her.

And she needs money to pay her deductible before her insurance steps in.

She was hopeful the county could help.

But she walked out disappointed with a blank application.

“Unfortunately, I do not qualify. So I don’t know where I’m going to come up with that money for my deductible which means my house ain’t gonna get fixed,” Cantz said.

In order to qualify to get money for your deductible in Charlotte County, you have to make less than 80% of the area median income.

For two people in one home, that’s less than $46,000.

Cantz lives off of social security but lives with her son.

His income pushed them over that threshold.

“Where am I going to go? I can’t apply for a loan, I can’t afford any more payments,” Cantz said.

Cantz is taking the application home but she said she isn’t going to waste her time filling it out.

“This is just totally wrong,” she said.

For more information, visit the Charlotte County website.