Travelers Insurance will not write new auto policies for some areas along the Gulf Coast

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flood
A car found floating on Plantation Road. Credit: WINK News

Flooding has taken its toll on Southwest Florida. Ian brought a storm surge almost two years ago. Regular afternoon showers often cause flooding, and recent tropical moisture left many rides underwater. That means it’s time to file an insurance claim.

Those scenarios possibly contributed to Travelers Insurance pulling the plug on writing new policies in coastal communities along the Gulf, although a company spokesperson did not pinpoint one specific event.

Insurance
Cars on flooded SWFL street. Credit: WINK News

The impacted areas will likely include places where we saw the worst of the surge during Hurricane Ian: Pine Island, Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, Captiva, Bonita Beach, Naples and more.

An estimated 358,000 vehicles were damaged in Hurricane Ian in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina— 100,000-plus in Florida alone, according to insurance experts.

This change from Travelers comes at a time when many people are experiencing sticker shock. Auto insurance rates have gone up for most customers lately.

We recently introduced you to Joe Fantozzi, who spends his winters in Estero. He’s paying $250 more now than he did six months ago for a car he only drives part-time.

Douglas Stevens‘ bill is up to more than $2,600 a year. “I immediately started shopping around for cheaper insurance. However, come to find out, there is none,” he added.

And now, you will have fewer options when trying to shop around to lower your auto insurance costs. Travelers is no longer an option for new policies.

A spokesperson assured WINK News that this only affects a small percentage of customers and only new automotive policies.

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