Since the centers of three hurricanes passed virtually overhead in 2004, residents of the sprawling Lakeshore Club Villas condominium complex have lived in a sort of insurance-induced purgatory. Lakeshore’s insurer, Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance, put repair costs attributable to the storms at a few hundred thousand dollars, while the homeowners association put the figure well above $30 million. This week a team of appraisers, including a representative of the insurer, tabulated total storm damage repair costs at about $40 million. Chip Merlin, an attorney for Lakeshore, said he is happy with the appraisal, but is concerned about the potential reductions based on interpretation of policy. Read more from Billy Townsend of the Tampa Tribune….
