ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
ALVA Woodpeckers build home in Alva woman’s house You may have heard of squatters, but this woman is dealing with squawkers. Who needs a rooster to wake up when you have woodpeckers?
FORT MYERS Man claims he was trapped in a high-rise for 5 days A 77-year-old man wants justice after he claims he spent days trapped on the 24th floor of a high-rise apartment building.
PUNTA GORDA Charlotte Correctional prisoner arrested for death of another inmate State Attorney Amira Fox convened a grand jury, which decided to move forward with a case against a Charlotte Correctional inmate.
SANIBEL Construction near Dairy Queen eagle nest on Sanibel raises concerns While many eagle nests may be a bit difficult to see, one nest has always been a favorite for Sanibel residents and tourists.
The environmental effects of artificial sweeteners Experts are studying how the foods we eat affect the environment, especially after we flush our waste down the toilet.
Victim reacts to man exposing himself to her Ring camera You get a notification on your phone from your ring camera app that someone is at the door, only to find out it is someone exposing themselves. It’s the last thing victim Maria Kivi wanted or expected to see last week.
LEE COUNTY The art of capturing your eye and drawing you in How do you capture young, hip, trendy, fun, movers and shakers, all in a pose? We take you behind the scenes of a Gulfshore Life cover shoot.
FORT MYERS The lives of two SJC Boxers changed in the ring Two SJC Boxers, Mario Nunez and Arbon Kurtishi, help each other in the ring as each of them had their lives changed because of boxing.
FORT MYERS Chlamydia cases rising sharply in Lee County If you think about a crowded space- something with more than 250 people- if it’s in Lee county, statistically one person has chlamydia.
SANIBEL Sanibel resort day passes hope to get more business on the island A pass will allow vacationers to hang out at a Sanibel beach club for a day in hopes of drumming up some business.
Voting equipment tested ahead of Lee County elections Voting equipment is being tested in Lee County. This is to ensure all ballots are printed and counted correctly for the upcoming election.
Collier County teen assaulted after leaving party The teen has been charged and the sheriff’s office said they’re aware that many believe felony charges are in order, but under Florida law, there are very specific criteria that must be met for felony charges to be filed.
WINK weather team watching tropical wave over Atlantic Ocean The Weather Authority is watching a tropical disturbance over the Central Atlantic Ocean.
CAPE CORAL Cape Coral drug bust leads investigators to fake fentanyl, cash and guns Cape Coral man arrest on drug charges. Investigators said they found, guns, drugs, and more than $32,000 in Richard Riley’s home.
NAPLES Naples youth flag football team to compete in Ohio tournament This weekend, the Naples Lunatics Green will compete in the Superhero Sports tournament in Canton, Ohio.
The goal of the Insurer Accountability Act is to hold homeowners insurance companies more accountable and for them to fairly pay out your claims. It went into effect July 1, 2023. Some worry the law is fraught with loopholes. Karen Nelson knows a thing or two about roofs. She was an independent adjuster for insurance companies for about 15 years. She traveled around the country inspecting roofs and the rest of homes for damage after disasters. Now, she’s on the other side, working as a public adjuster for homeowners. Nelson explaining roof issues Credit: WINK News “Coming from being in the field for 15 plus years, it’s frustrating to see the policyholders getting treated as poorly as they’re getting treated on this storm,” Nelson said of insurance companies handling Hurricane Ian claims. “It’s just a frustrating experience.” And when it comes to the Insurer Accountability Act, Nelson isn’t a fan. “I’m not impressed by it,” she added. “I just don’t think it’s going to make a difference.” After a homeowner files a claim with their insurance company, the insurer sends a field adjuster or contracted independent adjuster to the home. They inspect the damage and write up a report complete with estimates and pictures on how much it will cost to repair. The report heads to a desk adjuster in the office. Independent adjusters warned lawmakers last year that those desk adjusters were changing their reports. Specifically, they accused them of lowering the amount of money something cost to fix, therefore, lowering the money a homeowner receives. “This fraud committed by some of the insurance companies is more widespread than any of us could have imagined,” independent adjuster Ben Mandell told the Florida Commerce Committee during December’s property insurance special legislative session. The Insurer Accountability Act The Insurer Accountability Act makes it a crime for insurers to change the field/independent adjuster’s reports without detailing who made the changes and why. They’ll also have to keep tabs on any edits made and preserve all versions of their reports. Finally, insurance companies will have to tell the state how they handle claims. Credit: WINK News “They’ve got to stop changing our estimates and leaving our names on them,” independent adjuster Mark Vinson said in December. “They are just taking stuff out for no reason.” The law also says struggling insurance companies will no longer be able to write new policies. Their higher ups won’t get any bonuses either. Mark Friedlander with the Insurance Information Institute said these new provisions are normal in other states. “The law that was passed and signed by the governor shows legislators were listening to their constituents,” Friedlander added. “After the reform packages that were passed over the last few months, many homeowners across the state were concerned ‘you’re doing a lot for the insurance industry, not a lot for us, the consumer.'” The Potential Loophole The law has been touted as a big win for homeowners and their wallets. Nelson isn’t sold. “The insurance companies are going to find ways to still not pay for claims,” she said. Nelson believes the insurance companies will simply change what the field adjusters can and cannot do. Client of Nelson’s Ian damage Credit: WINK News “The field adjusters that will go out will just go out and take pictures,” she continued. “[The insurer] won’t let them write an estimate because if there’s no estimate, nothing can be changed. So, now, they’re going to have to write reports and not estimates. They’re going to have to say ‘this is what we see.’ Then the desk adjuster will be like ‘okay well, this is what we’re going to pay for off of these guidelines.” WINK News Consumer Reporter Andryanna Sheppard brought Nelson’s concerns to Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis. “Every time when the Florida legislature meets, they pass policy and they feel like we have created the best mouse trap and it’s going to solve every problem we’re ever going to have,” Patronis said. “Unfortunately, there are very smart people that find ways to create loopholes in these policies. Sometimes, loopholes created by attorneys, sometimes created by insurance companies, sometimes created by public adjusters. They all find ways to gain the system because they see a way to profit.” “My guess, only time will tell on that one,” Nelson said. If you are having trouble with your insurance company and would like to share your situation with Andryanna Sheppard, you can do so through this form.