‘What they’re doing is just rotten’: Homeowners claim surprise insurance cost them thousands

LEESBURG, Fla. — Some central Florida homeowners claim an insurance company received thousands of dollars from their escrow accounts even though they didn’t want to use that insurance company.

With the insurance market in flux in recent years after hurricanes ravaged the state and after legal battles raged over roof damage, homeowners were already feeling the pinch.

“You know in the last three years it keeps creeping up, creeping up,” said Lake County homeowner Mike Ewing.

Ewing’s insurance company, Farmers Insurance even pulled out of Florida and another insurance company called Slide took over 86,000 Farmers policies and tens of thousands more policies from other companies.

Ewing said, “The rate that they wanted was astronomical.”

Slide sent him a notice letting him know his renewal would be around $3400 which is nearly four times the amount of his old Farmers policy. Mike Ewing declined the offer and in July even received a notice of cancellation from Slide. But a month after cancelling, his records show Slide Insurance still went to his mortgage company with a new policy and requested the money from his escrow account and his mortgage company sent it.

“Everybody in Florida, I think at this point, is struggling with insurance and for a company to swoop in like this and do what they’re doing is just rotten,” said Ewing.

And he’s not alone. He claims three of his own neighbors had a similar problem and Action 9 received a handful of other complaints about Slide from homeowners in other central Florida counties. Several consumers also made complaints and sent in reviews with similar claims to the Better Business Bureau about Slide offering higher rates and requesting the money from their escrow accounts before they decided or after they declined. One BBB reviewer wrote, “this has caused incredible damage to my escrow account.”

Diana Giron, with Universal Insurance Agency in Orlando recommends shopping for other options if you receive a high offer from Slide or any insurance carrier that takes over your policy.

“You want to try to avoid the lender paying it, because you know that’s going to offset your escrow account,” Giron said.

If you find a better policy, Giron said you should notify Slide you’re opting out and ask your mortgage company not to pay Slide.

Giron added, “If you get it in time, remember you have to opt out. You have the right to say, ‘I opt out.’”

The frustrating thing for Mike Ewing is he did opt out and says Slide went for the money anyway. Now, his mortgage company is looking to raise his escrow payment if it’s not resolved soon.

“It’s not an isolated incident which is what really upsets me,” Ewing said.

While frustrating, Diana Giron said homeowners will eventually get their money back. In fact, one homeowner who reached out to Action 9 with a complaint about Slide has received her money, but said it was a lot of hassle. Even if consumers find a new insurance carrier after the new Slide policy kicks in, they should get a prorated amount of money back from Slide if they decide to cancel.

Slide did not want to respond for this story.

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