Articles by Michael Adams

Florida Municipal Insurance Trust Issues $20 Million Cat Bond

A Florida insurance trust that provides property insurance and other products to cities around the state has issued a $20 million private placement catastrophe bond to help pay claims due to hurricanes. Towers Watson Capital Markets, a wholly-owned subsidiary of …

Tennessee Approves Workers’ Compensation Changes

Tennessee’s workers’ compensation system is going to undergo its most significant changes in decades including the creation of a new administrative court system to handle workers’ compensation claims. Governor Bill Haslam held a ceremonial bill signing at the Clarksville Foundry, …

Florida Lawmakers Approve Medical Malpractice Reform

In a victory for medical malpractice insurers and physicians, Florida lawmakers have approved a series of tort reforms that among other things will require expert witnesses testifying against physicians in a malpractice suit to be engaged in the same specialty. …

Tennessee Governor Signs Workers’ Compensation Bill

Tennessee’s workers’ compensation system is going to undergo its most significant changes in decades including the creation of a new administrative court system to handle workers’ compensation claims. Governor Bill Haslam held a ceremonial bill signing on Tuesday at the …

Florida Lawmakers OK Clearinghouse for Citizens Business; Agents Face Changes

Florida lawmakers approved legislation that seeks to slow the growth of the state-backed property insurer by diverting new policies into the private market while largely retaining the status quo for the insurer’s current 1.27 million policyholders. By an overwhelming margin …

Florida PIP Law Injunction Remains in Effect

A Florida judge has upheld his temporary injunction partially blocking portions of the state’s automobile no-fault insurance personal injury protection (PIP) law on the basis it infringes on drivers’ access to the courts. Regulators are appealing to a higher court. …

Florida Lawmakers Approve Medical Malpractice Reform

In a victory for medical malpractice insurers and physicians, Florida lawmakers have approved a series of tort reforms that among other things will require expert witnesses testifying against physicians in a malpractice suit to be engaged in the same specialty. …

Florida Approves Cap on Physician-Dispensed Drugs for Workers’ Compensation

After years of struggling to rein in the cost of physician-dispensed drugs, Florida workers’ compensation insurers finally reached a compromise with physicians and drug companies that is projected to reduce costs by some $20 million. Florida lawmakers today approved the …

Florida Insurers Save Tax Credit … For Now

Florida insurers are showing some signs of relief after they convinced House lawmakers to stop a Senate bill that would have eliminated a 15 percent insurance premium tax credit. The Senate bill would have used the funds to reduce automobile …

Florida Senate Approves Citizens Reform Bill; Path Ahead Remains Uncertain

Florida lawmakers have taken the first step towards reforming the state-backed property insurer, but not before significantly scaling back its impact on policyholders while the chances for final legislative approval remain uncertain. Senate lawmakers have been working for months on …