While moving to Florida has many benefits to living in the sunshine state. However, many disadvantages are just as noticeable. Read on to discover the disadvantages of Florida. These include bugs, excessive commercialization, high insurance costs, and heat. Before deciding, you should also be aware of the city’s cultural values and crime rates. If you’re considering moving to Florida, these advantages and disadvantages should be considered before moving.
Bugs
A major downside to living in Florida is the prevalence of pests. Bedbugs, no-see-ums, and other insects can be found in various places, including luggage and clothing. As they live in colonies, it’s challenging to detect their presence until they bite you. Although they do not spread diseases, they are most prevalent during the day, especially at dawn and dusk. To protect yourself from these pesky insects, use a ceiling fan or window fan to help keep them away.
Mosquitoes are another significant disadvantage to living in Florida. Mosquito bites can carry dangerous diseases like dengue fever and zika virus. While numerous programs are in place to control the insect population, these measures don’t guarantee zero exposure. In addition, powerful storms can affect the state at anytime, making it even more difficult to avoid exposure to mosquitoes. Therefore, insect-control programs are a must for residents in Florida.
If you’re planning to live in Florida for a long time, you should be prepared for bugs. Florida is home to various household pests, such as ants, spiders, silverfish, and rodents. Because of the warm, humid climate, bugs thrive in Florida. Fortunately, these pests are not too dangerous, but you’ll need to prepare them. In addition to bugs, there are also several other pests you might encounter.
While tourists benefit the tourism industry, they can also be a significant nuisance. While they keep businesses thriving, they can cause traffic issues when trying to get somewhere. Florida is also home to many types of wildlife, including gators. While wildlife is fun, it’s also dangerous when they’re confined in your home environment. The best way to avoid bugs is to treat your home regularly.
Heat
If you’re looking for a new heating system, you might wonder whether heat pumps are the best option for Florida. Although heat pumps do not cool homes as well as a conventional air unit, they can reduce energy bills. However, they can be expensive up-front. Furnaces are Florida’s most common heating system, and they heat rooms and air through ducts. They come in different types, and some are more efficient than others.
Another major downside to living in Florida is the heat. Summer temperatures are often unbearable, especially if you’re working outside. Because of this, most people stay inside during the hotter months and plan water-related activities for the winter. The worst part of the summer season is from July to September, so you’ll want to plan your activities for this time. If you live in Arizona, you’ll be happy to know winter isn’t as harsh as Florida’s hot weather.
There are many benefits of living in Florida, but there are also some drawbacks. The combined heat and humidity can be oppressive in the summer, especially if you’re from the north. Florida also lacks the traditional changing seasons, which makes it particularly difficult for people from northern climates to adjust. And even though you’ll enjoy the weather for most of the year, you may find that the insurance cost is higher than you’d like.
The good news is that there are ways to combat this problem. Heat pumps can be a viable alternative if you’re looking for a way to keep your home cool during the winter. These machines can reduce energy costs by up to 50% and are almost indistinguishable from air conditioners. If you’re a Florida resident, you might consider getting one for your home. Switching from your existing electric furnace to a heat pump can be very easy.
Over-commercialization
The state is considered a tourist destination with a beautiful cost of living. However, Florida’s weather is not as consistently good as the climate in some northern states. During the spring and summer seasons, Florida sees fewer tourists, and the economy suffers as a result. The state’s lower cost of living allows businesses to operate more affordably. Over-commercialization is another drawback.
In addition, Florida is a net importer of petroleum and sends substantial funding out of state for transportation fuels. Those who live outside of wealthy or middle-class neighborhoods may feel out of place in Florida. This article provides informational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional or personal counsel. Read the full article to learn more about Florida’s benefits and disadvantages.
High insurance costs
Despite its pleasant climate, high insurance costs are a downside to Florida. The state spends more than $3 trillion annually on healthcare, and residents here pay a higher premium than their peers. This increased risk drives insurance premiums up to the highest in the nation. In addition, the state is home to one of the largest concentrations of uninsured drivers, making coverage more expensive. But the high insurance costs are not the only drawbacks to Florida.
Car insurance rates vary by age. Young people and seniors pay more for car insurance in Florida than their peers. Florida’s enormous population of seniors contributes to high insurance rates. Insurers have been raising their rates in line with these rising costs for some time now, and this trend continues this year. While the average age for car insurance in Florida is thirty-five, the average rate for people 65 and older is twenty-seven percent higher.
While Florida is a popular destination for retirees, residents must deal with high insurance costs. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners ranks Florida as the fourth-most expensive state for car insurance. While you cannot change your zip code or driving record, you can shop around for a reasonable policy. Depending on the type of coverage you’re looking for, the cost of car insurance may be higher than the average for a different state.
While high insurance costs are a severe disadvantage in Florida, there are ways to keep your insurance costs low. In addition to keeping a clean driving record and improving your credit score, you should shop around for a new car before making a big purchase. You might even want to consider purchasing a safe, boring car if you can. Another way to keep insurance rates low is to increase your deductibles.
Traffic fatalities
The number of traffic fatalities in Florida is relatively high. Nearly three thousand crashes occur daily, and over 200,000 occur each year. While the number of crashes is hard to track, Florida has one of the highest rates per million residents. In 2010, for example, 18% of fatal crashes were motorcycle crashes, and 22% were pedestrian accidents. Moreover, 52% of fatal crashes involved a single vehicle.
While Florida’s five-year rolling average fatality rate is expected to trend downward in 2020 and 2021, the FDOT State Safety Office expects projects to mitigate the upward trend and reduce fatality per 100 million vehicles traveled in the state. The FDOT State Safety Office conducted a three-step analytical process to develop forecasts for Florida’s traffic fatalities. The exploratory analysis determined that most variables would be useless, so it turned to an ARIMA model. The ARIMA model considered the dependent variable’s past values as independent variables. Then, the model used the year-to-year difference to predict future values.
Another significant disadvantage of Florida traffic is the high number of fatalities. More people will be traveling to Florida this spring break, causing major traffic problems. Traditionally, young people were the most common victims of traffic accidents, but today, older drivers are also the leading fatality victims. The number of fatal crashes is rising, and more traffic means more cars on the road. Taking safety measures and managing driving time are the best ways to minimize the chances of being involved in a severe accident.
Although Florida has a mild climate year-round, traffic fatalities are high. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, pedestrian fatalities occurred in more than 600 incidents in the state in 2015. Only California has a higher rate. Similarly, other states do not have nearly as high a rate of pedestrian deaths. This is especially true of children because of their size and lack of experience walking near traffic.
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