Latest Florida Headlines
All the headlines from our Florida Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Property Insurance on Agenda as Florida Legislature Opens
Mar 6 2013 // New leadership now controls Florida’s Republican-led Legislature, where the loquacious Don Gaetz presides in the Senate and 33-year-old Will Weatherford steps into the biggest test of his political career as speaker...
Bankers Insurance Group Acquires AIX Florida Policies
Mar 5 2013 // Bankers Insurance Group has reached an agreement with AIX Group to acquire its Florida policies as part of a strategy to increase Bankers’ presence in the state’s Latino community. Under the terms of the deal,...
House, Debris Being Removed from Florida Sinkhole That Swallowed Man
Mar 5 2013 // Authorities hope to get a better look at a sinkhole that swallowed a man in his Florida home after demolition crews finish knocking down the remaining walls of the house and clear away the debris. Crews on Sunday razed...
Florida’s Citizens Sued for Denying Mitigation Discounts
Mar 4 2013 // A lawsuit seeking class action status filed against the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. alleges the company purposefully deprived customers of windstorm mitigation discounts through an arbitrary reinspection...
Lawsuits by Fans Injured at NASCAR Race Face Obstacles
Mar 1 2013 // The attorney for three NASCAR fans injured last weekend during a race the day before the Daytona 500 says they are exploring a possible lawsuit, but some experts say they could face tough obstacles in winning damages. Matt...
Insurers Split Over Proposed Changes to Florida Guaranty Fund
Feb 28 2013 // Florida lawmakers have kept alive a bill that would alter the method of funding the state fund that pays the claims of insolvent property insurers even though the change could increase costs and does not have the uniform...
More Good News/Bad News for Florida Insurance Market
Feb 26 2013 // Floridians would face about $7.19 billion in post-hurricane taxes to make up the funding shortfalls of state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund should even a 1-in-50-year storm...
Florida Surplus Lines Association Names New Executive Director
Feb 25 2013 // The Florida Surplus Lines Association said it has named Larry Bodkin as its new executive director. Bodkin currently is president and CEO of the Tallahassee-based Bodkin Management and Consulting LLC. He has 20 years of...
People – Southeast
Feb 25 2013 // Philadelphia Insurance Companies, a Bala Cynwyd, Penn.-based property/casualty and professional liability insurance company for niche markets, said that Robert O’Leary, Jr. has been named the new president and CEO of...
Business Moves – Southeast
Feb 25 2013 // Swett, Southern Hospitality In an expansion of its specialized program business, Swett & Crawford has acquired the assets of Griffin, Georgia -based Southern Hospitality Underwriters Inc. (SHU), a regional firm...
Penn. Court: ‘Single Occurrence’ Applies for Drywall Claims Arising From One Shipment
Feb 21 2013 // The U.S. District Court in Pennsylvania ruled last week that multiple claims that arose from allegedly defective drywall that the insured entity imported in one single shipment from China should be considered a...
Florida Senate Leader to Insurers: Where Are Savings from PIP Reforms?
Feb 21 2013 // Key Florida lawmakers are running out of patience with the state’s fraud-plagued no-fault motor vehicle insurance system that has cost policyholders hundred millions of dollars. Senate President Don Gaetz ,...
No Damage to Florida Citrus Crop from Cold Snap
Feb 20 2013 // Florida came through this week’s cold snap with no major damage to the orange blossoms that will produce next year’s crop, the state’s largest growers’ association said. Temperatures dipped below...
Florida’s Citizens Hires Peltier as Media Relations Manager
Feb 19 2013 // The state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. has hired a journalist to help the frequently embattled insurer with its image. Citizens’ legislative affairs director Christine Ashburn announced the appointment of...
Ghost of Charlie Crist Haunts Insurance Reform
Feb 15 2013 // It has been more than two years since the adults regained control of Florida, yet the specter of the Charlie Crist days of demagoguery, populism-at-any-cost and overall political buffoonery looms heavy over the state...
Insurer to Take 31,000 Commercial Wind Policies from Florida’s Citizens
Feb 14 2013 // Florida’s state-backed property insurer has approved a plan to shift 31,000 commercial wind-only policies to a new private insurer. The board of Citizens Property Insurance Corp. approved the plan earlier this week....
Coventry Insurance, Knightbrook to Offer Personal Articles Coverage in FL
Feb 12 2013 // Coventry Insurance Services and KnightBrook Insurance Co. have partnered to offer Coventry Shield Valuable Personal Articles Coverage. The policy an “all-risk” coverage for valuables that are not covered...
Florida Lawmakers Unveil Property Reform Proposals
Feb 11 2013 // Florida lawmakers’ first draft of a property reform emphasizes depopulating and diverting policies from Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state-backed property insurer that has 1.3 million policyholders. The...
Doctors Defend Physician-Dispensed Drugs for Workers’ Comp
Feb 11 2013 // Florida physician groups are claiming that the cost of physician-dispensed prescription drugs in workers’ compensation claims is far less than has been reported and that physicians are being unfairly singled out...
Florida’s Workers’ Comp Market Outlook Remains Positive
Feb 11 2013 // The outlook for Florida’s workers’ compensation market continues to be strong as a competitive market offers affordable rates, although costs could be reduced further if the state addressed prescription drug...
