Double whammy insurance shock for Minnesota homeowners

Storm damage coverage costs are way up

Costs for storm damage coverage for homes is rising. FOX 9's Corin Hoggard has more.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Many Minnesota homeowners are experiencing a double whammy with their insurance bills, as both premiums and deductibles for wind and hail damage are on the rise.

Insurance costs rise for homeowners

What we know:

Homeowners in Minnesota are seeing their insurance premiums increase as much as 40%, with deductibles for wind and hail damage also rising significantly. 

In some cases, deductibles have jumped from $1,500 to $5,000. In others, it changed from a fixed deductible to a percentage of the home’s value.

The rising costs are largely attributed to changing weather patterns and increased claims, as explained by Julia Dreier from the Minnesota Department of Commerce. 

She noted that the industry has faced challenging years, leading to higher costs.

State Farm, one of the major insurance providers, has reported that for every dollar collected in Minnesota premiums over the past five years, it paid out $1.30 in claims and expenses. 

Despite this, the company turned a record $5.3 billion profit last year.

Homeowners' experiences:

Lauren McInerney from Minneapolis shared her shock at receiving a bill with a higher deductible. "This year I just saw it come in the mail and I noticed the deductible went up and I was surprised by that," said McInerney.

She expressed frustration over the increased costs, saying, "It's just a lot and now if something goes wrong I know I'm going to have to be paying more out of pocket too and I'm already paying a lot more out pocket every month, so it's frustrating."

What you can do:

The Minnesota Department of Commerce recommends homeowners shop around for the right policy and consider weatherproofing their homes, which could lead to insurance discounts. 

Many have only realized their deductible increases after storm damage, prompting numerous complaints to the department.

What we don't know:

It's unclear how long these rising costs will continue or if there will be any regulatory changes to address the situation.