Carroll seeks help on ZIP code insurance rate hikes

District 4 County Supervisor Ray Carroll has gone to bat seeking redress for roughly 15,000 Green Valley residents who are in jeopardy of having a substantial increase to their homeowner’s insurance.

At Wednesday’s Green Valley Community Coordinating Council’s executive board meeting, Special Assistant to Carroll, Tom Ward read a letter sent by Carroll to the Arizona Department of Insurance with copies sent to Gov. Janet Napolitano, Green Valley Postmistress Sandy Rios and Consumer Specialist of the Arizona Department of Insurance in Tucson Marcy Croddy.

The spike in home insurance premiums is due to a change by the U.S. Postal Service, which on July 1 split Green Valley into two ZIP codes — 85614 and 85622.

In his letter, Carroll states that prior to July 1, the 85622 ZIP code had only been used for U.S. postal box rentals. The ZIP code was never attached to any real property.

“The amount of the increase in home insurance premiums is staggering,” Carroll wrote. He explained that one constituent had his insurance agent program the identical information for a homeowner’s policy using his previous ZIP code of 85614 and the newly assigned one of 85622.

“With a $750 deductible, the premium increased from $458 in 85614 to $603 in 85622. This is an increase of $145 or 32 percent,” Carroll explained.

Affected by the ZIP code change are 271 streets.

“It appears that at least half of Green Valley’s 30,000 residents are in jeopardy of having their home insurance premiums raised simply by virtue of their address,” Carroll wrote.

He also noted that because Green Valley is a senior community with citizens vulnerable to insurance fraud, the matter warrants investigation.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Ward also announced that the Pima County Board of Supervisors appointed GVCCC Architectural Review Chair Susanne Blodgett to the Board of Adjustment effective Oct. 7.

Blodgett is the sole candidate for a vacancy on GVCCC’s board of directors and will be recommended at the board of representatives meeting on Oct. 16.

Parliamentarian Loren Thorson said although Blodgett is being recommended, the council must go through the nominating process from the floor.

Executive Director Joyce Finkelstein announced that Green Valley is taking part in America Recycles Day on Nov. 15. For the endeavor, she called the American Legion and said “they were most gracious.”

From 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Nov. 15, Marines will staff an aluminum-can collection and will convert the cans to cash using the proceeds to buy toys for children for the coming holidays.

Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer in Green Valley. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net.