Sinkholes have been all over the news lately because of - believe it or not – strawberries.  Yes, that’s right, strawberries can cause sinkholes.  How?  When strawberry farmers water their crops to protect the berries from cold weather, they pull a large amount of water out of the ground.  Because of the changes to groundwater levels (and a lot of other scientific reasons), sinkholes can form. 

Since Florida has recently experienced record low temperatures for extended periods of time, strawberry farmers have been using plenty of water to protect their crops.  This has caused many sinkholes to form in Plant City, FL which is known as the winter strawberry capital of the world.  Homes, schools, businesses, and even roads have experienced the effects of 22 or more sinkholes that opened up all within a few weeks time.

These sinkholes have caused so many news stories and local focus, that the Florida Department of Financial Services recently issued a bulletin addressing sinkholes and sinkhole coverage on homeowners insurance policies.  The press release can be found by clicking this link: http://www.myfloridacfo.com/pressoffice/ViewMediaRelease.asp?ID=3402

Now is a great time to think about your property and the coverage you might need for it.  Take a few minutes to review your policy and make sure you have the proper coverage that you feel is needed – whether it’s sinkhole coverage or some other type of coverage that you might currently be missing.  Remember that sinkholes as well as many other disasters can strike anywhere at any time without warning.  We encourage you to be prepared!