GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga.,None — Hundreds of thousands of Georgia homeowners are getting hit with higher homeowner insurance premiums.
Allstate is notifying customers that it is raising rates at renewal 23 percent, or an average of $160 to $199 a year.
Allstate said several years of bad weather across the state has made doing business more expensive.
Channel 2's Kerry Kavanaugh spoke to Allstate customer and Loganville homeowner Marissa Shepherd about the increase.
"The insurance premiums went up along with the property taxes, which made our mortgage go up, and we are struggling," Shepherd said.
She said in six years, she's only filed one claim with Allstate for wind and hail damage to her roof. But Allstate said it's claims like that which are driving costs up.
Allstate is sending some customers letters saying Georgia premiums are going up due to "changing weather patterns" and "record-level storm events."
"We're actually considering changing insurance companies because we just can't afford it," Shepherd said.
"It's been more expensive to do insurance in the state for quite some time," said David Colmans with the Georgia Insurance Information Service, which represents insurance companies.
Colmans cited everything from the floods of 2009 to last week's powerful tornadoes as examples of cost drivers.
Kavanaugh asked Colmans if the rate increase could become a trend.
"I do believe you'll see this in one degree or another in more companies," Colmans said. "This is not something that's pulled out of the sky. It's very very thoroughly justified."
Allstate said the increase will bring Georgia in line with customers in other nearby states.
Customers like Shepherd said she understands the numbers, but says it doesn't make it any easier for her to pay the bills.
"People are struggling enough, and this is making it harder," she said.
According to the office of the state insurance commissioner, Allstate had asked for an increase above 40 percent, but the state approved the 23 percent, still the single biggest in Georgia in many years.