Some things just won’t go away–1980s fashion statements, American Idol…Florida’s home insurance problems.

Many Florida homeowners have seen their rates triple in the last few years. And despite the fact that this was a relatively uneventful hurricane season, many have lost home insurance coverage or seen yet another price hike.

Previous inaction had many Floridians up in arms, but Gov. elect Charlie Crist has some semblance of a plan to solve the issues that have been plaguing Florida homeowners for several years.

One of the possible solutions is to model home insurance after other types of insurance, like auto. If a homeowner wishes to choose a higher deductible or forego certain coverage, they may. However, while those changes might make home insurance more affordable, high deductibles and a lack of coverage could have dire consequences when another hurricane strikes.

Another of Crist’s proposed tweaks is the addition of safety credits. If a homeowner has safeguarded their home, Crist says they should be eligible for rate reductions, similar to the way a safe driver pays lower car insurance premiums. However, some oppose state-mandated credits as too much state involvement.

But promising is the optimism Crist has been expressing since he was elected governor nearly a month ago. And those that decried politicians’ previous unresponsiveness can take care knowing that at the very least lawmakers are now addressing the issue in a special session.

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