You were very fortunate. Homeowners policies actually are dropped routinely here and elsewhere, merely due to having a paid claim, due to the actuarial considerations mentioned previuosly. Maybe your jurisdiction does not permit this practice. Mine does, as do quite a number of others.
i was told if rates went up it was not due to my claim but due to the etire region being wacked
That MAY be the case with some insurance companies, but have never had a problem. I've been on the Gulf Coast for 30 years and have always had State Farm. They took care of me well for hurricanes Elana, Georges, Katrina and a couple of close fringe skirmishes from others.
The adjustors were usually out-of-state contractors, not State Farm employees. Have always had a fair appraisal. Just don't get pushy or ticked off with them or get in heated arguments. They have their own rules to follow. They may go cheap for replacing a $20 outside security light, for example, but make up or it PLUS for repainting and painting a one sq foot wet/stained spot on the ceiling from roof shingles being blown off. You may get $400 or so for the ceiling, but most people just go to Home Depot and buying a couple of cans of ceiling paint and do it themselves, and don't have a contractor ripout a section of sheetrock and doing the new bump-paint thing, wreaking your house while doing it. Again, it's always give and take, but the appraisals are based on contractor labor rates. And, most people can and do take care of minor fixes themselves, if for not other reason than contractors and repair people have L-O-N-G wait times after a big storm. Just try to get an A/C guy out to repair/replace your outside unit that a tree knocked out, after a hurricane and temps are in the high 90's. Especially if the power and water have been off for a couple of weeks. Good luck, baby.
By the way, your insurance AGENT is useless in a storm/ hurricane situation. You go to their office, stand in line (in the sun) for two hours, and in the end, no matter what you?somebody says or pleads, they just put you on the appraisal list and say an adjustor will be out 'sometime soon'. If your house is damaged so bad it's unlivable (or so you say), an inspector will come out in a day or so to verify it, and agent will give you a couple of forms to fill out and mail in to the district office, and something will eventually happen.
Reminder........point things out, but STAY CALM. By the way, he doesn't cut you a check on the spot, or even tell you how much your claim will be. It will be mailed to you, along with his appraisal worksheets. Along with this will be instructions on how to appeal.