Latest Florida Headlines

All the headlines from our Florida Topic Page, ordered by recency.

I.I.I. Study Cites AOB Abuse for Increasing Insurance Costs In Florida

Dec 12 2018 // A new study released by the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) finds that Florida’s assignment of benefits (AOB) crisis has cost consumers billions of dollars in unnecessary litigation and inflated claim costs...

Road America Motor Club Hires Campolo as VP of Sales in Florida

Dec 11 2018 // Road America Motor Club, a wholly owned subsidiary of international insurer MAPFRE, has added Frank Campolo to the company as vice president of Sales in its Miami headquarters. Campolo will develop and lead Road...

Miami Man Arrested in $60K Trucking Insurance Fraud Scheme

Dec 11 2018 // A South Florida trucking company owner was arrested last month after allegedly selling fraudulent insurance coverage with certificates of insurance totaling nearly $60,000 to local commercial truckers, according to a...

Best Upgrades Credit Ratings of Florida-Based Bankers Insurance Co., Subsidiaries

Dec 10 2018 // AM Best has upgraded the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) to B++ (Good) from B+ (Good) and Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) to “bbb” from “bbb-” of Bankers Insurance Co., headquartered...

AAU Adds Connally to Workers’ Comp Division in Florida

Dec 10 2018 // Allied American Underwriters (AAU), a division of USG Insurance Services, Inc., has hired Stan Connally as producer/broker for Workers Compensation in the Tampa, Fla., branch. Connally joins AAU with 36 years of experience...

University of Central Florida Team Wins National Cybersecurity Competition

Dec 7 2018 // A team from the University of Central Florida has won a national cybersecurity competition. UCF’s Collegiate Cyber Defense Team won the U.S. Department of Energy’s CyberForce National Competition last...

Chris Black Insurance Partners with Florida-Based Insurance Seguros of America

Dec 7 2018 // Chris Black Insurance, a Lutz, Fla.-based independent insurance firm, has partnered with Insurance Seguros of America Ricketts, located in Wesley Chapel, Fla. The transaction was finalized on October 10, 2018. Founded in...

Alliant Adds Chanin, Barham to Help Grow Private Client Practice in Southeast

Dec 6 2018 // Alliant Insurance Services has made two personnel additions to its private client team in South Florida. Karen Chanin has joined Alliant as VP and will focus on the company’s private client growth strategy, which has...

Florida Fraud Strike Team Arrests Unlicensed Contractor in Panhandle

Dec 6 2018 // An unlicensed contractor operating in the Florida Panhandle has been arrested by the Florida Disaster Fraud Action Strike Force (DFAST) for allegedly conducting roofing repairs following Hurricane Michael, according to a...

Giant Hole Created by Hurricane Michael Threatens Housing, Cemetery in Florida Town

Dec 5 2018 // Hurricane Michael created a giant hole in a north Florida town that is threatening a nearby cemetery and public housing duplexes. The Tallahassee Democrat reported Sunday that the October storm caused a crater along a...

Florida Insurance Agents Improvise to Stay Connected During Hurricane Michael Recovery

Dec 5 2018 // The page has finally turned on the tumultuous 2018 hurricane season, but for the agents who live and work in the Florida Panhandle the story isn’t over – personally or professionally. “We all still feel like...

Florida Extends Continuing Education Deadline for Insurance Professionals

Dec 4 2018 // Licensed insurance professionals working in the Florida Panhandle have been granted an extension of continuing education deadlines in an effort to help accelerate Hurricane Michael recovery efforts in the region, according...

Former AmWINS VP Steinmetz Joins USG in Florida

Dec 4 2018 // USG has hired Kim Steinmetz as producer/broker to its branch in Tampa, Fla. Steinmetz joins the USG team with 16 years of experience in the industry, specializing in large commercial property. She most recently held the...

Business Moves

Dec 3 2018 // Hilb Group, Burns & Eustice Insurance Agency Hilb Group LLC has acquired Michigan-based Burns & Eustice Insurance Agency. B&E has been offering property/casualty insurance products and services to businesses...

Survey from Regulator of Largest U.S. Insurance Market Shows More Coal Divestment by Insurers

Nov 29 2018 // California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones on Thursday revealed he’s had some success with his 2018 Climate Risk Carbon Initiative Coal Divestment Follow-Up Survey. Jones said the results of the survey reflect an...

Florida Principal Arrested in $16K Hurricane Irma Insurance Fraud Attempt

Nov 29 2018 // An elementary school principal in Jacksonville, Fla., has been arrested in an alleged attempt to commit more than $16,000 in insurance fraud related to Hurricane Irma, according to a statement from Florida CFO Jimmy...

Florida Deputy Insurance Commissioner Murphy Receives Dineen Award from NAIC

Nov 29 2018 // Susanne Murphy Florida Deputy Insurance Commissioner Susanne Murphy has been awarded the Robert Dineen Award for Outstanding Service and Contribution to the State Regulation of Insurance from the National Association of...

Florida CFO: Insurers Must Step Up Response to Hurricane Michael Claims

Nov 28 2018 // Citing a “troubling” number of Hurricane Michael-related consumer complaints and claims denials, Florida’s top financial regulator is urging insurers to respond more quickly and adequately to consumers...

Florida Mall Faces 10 Lawsuits Over Video Game Tournament Shooting

Nov 27 2018 // Ten lawsuits have been filed against the owners of a Florida outdoor mall where authorities say a gunman opened fire at an online video game tournament, killing two people, wounding several others and then fatally shooting...

Florida County Hit Hard by Michael Takes Out $50M Bond for Recovery

Nov 26 2018 // A county on Florida’s Panhandle has voted to take out a $50 million bond to help recover from Hurricane Michael. The News-Herald reports that Bay County Commission voted Nov. 20 to use the money to cover debris...