4 insurance villages to help Gulf Coast policyholders after hurricanes

The state of Florida has opened four “insurance villages” around the Gulf Coast to help people dealing with damage from Hurricane Milton and Hurricane Helene. Various carriers will converge at the villages to help people navigate insurance-related issues.

Located in Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas and Polk counties, the sites will provide an opportunity for policyholders to meet with their insurance companies in person.

Each insurance village will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week. As of Oct. 16, these four are open:

• Hillsborough County: Florida Strawberry Festival, TECO Expo Hall, 2301 W. Oak St., Plant City
• Manatee County: Bradenton City Hall, Auditorium Building, 101 12th St. W., Bradenton
• Pinellas County: Long Center, 1501 North Belcher Road, Clearwater
• Polk County: RP Funding Center, Sikes Hall, 701 W. Lime St., Lakeland

Those who visit the insurance villages should bring identification (e.g., driver’s license or passport), insurance cards and policy information, pictures or documentation of the property being claimed as a loss resulting from the hurricane(s), repair estimates and any additional insurance-related information that is accessible.

The Florida Department of Financial Services’s Division of Consumer Services is the host of the insurance villages, which are positioned in critical locations around the state identified as being impacted by Hurricanes Milton and Helene.