A Florida man who sold his home a year ago was shocked to learn he was still being charged hundreds of dollars a month to insure the property.South Florida resident Eugene Boykins Jr. continued paying nearly $600 a month in home insurance premiums for more than a year after selling his home in Miami Gardens. Despite notifying his insurer at the time of the sale, the charges continued and he lost thousands of dollars.Boykins has lived in the house for three decades and said the property has deep personal meaning. “I raised my kids there. My wife died there… great memories.” However, rising costs forced them to sell rental properties and live on a fixed income. “I downsized and the mortgage got so high. So I sold it,” he said.Although he moved on, financial ties to his old home remained. “I sold the house 13 months ago and I’m still paying insurance on it,” he said. He said: “I mean it’s like throwing my money away, they just take it and I don’t get anything for it. I don’t think I should be paying insurance on a house I don’t live in.”Boykins said she contacted the insurance company to cancel the policy when she sold the home, but payments continued for more than a year. By the time he realised, a huge amount had already been withdrawn. When he contacted the insurer, he was told that the refund would be only for the most recent months.He then turned to the consumer support section ‘Help Me Howard’ for assistance. “I thought maybe you could help me get my money back,” he said.Legal expert Howard Finkelstein points out that homeowners are not required to continue paying insurance after selling the property, but proper cancellation procedures are important. “No, you do not have to pay for insurance on a home you no longer own. However, it is important to cancel the policy properly. It must be in writing to avoid a situation like this. In some cases, even if you do not cancel properly, you can still get that money back.“The situation was resolved following program intervention, including direct communication with the insurance company. Within a few weeks, the charges were dropped and Boykins received a full refund.Boykins said, “It was the most beautiful thing ever. I got my money as I talked to the lady in charge. She sent me both checks.”Finkelstein said people should always get proof in writing when they cancel a service. She said even if you cancel over the phone, you should ask for confirmation by email, letter or text and double-check if you don’t receive it.