Latest Florida Headlines
All the headlines from our Florida Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Fla. Suing Jewelry Retailer
Feb 7 2005 // Florida is suing Savannah-based Friedman’s Inc. retail jewelry chain, alleging it sold millions of dollars worth of insurance on jewelry items but didn’t disclose the costs to consumers. Friedman’s, which...
Deltona, Fla. Sinkhole Panics Homeowners; Fla. Legislature Considers ‘Pool’
Feb 7 2005 // Gun-shy Florida homeowners have a new natural disaster to add to their list of concerns, sinkholes. Dec. 13, accompanied by the sounds of tree roots snapping and limestone collapsing, a 225 ft. wide and 50 ft. deep...
Insurance Concerns on Fla. Agenda
Feb 7 2005 // The Florida Legislature is considering numerous actions during spring sessions, including taking a close look at preparedness for the upcoming hurricane season, now five months away; implementing single-deductibles;...
Rep. Davis Voices Concerns Over Industry’s Weakness in Fla.
Feb 4 2005 // While describing himself as a novice on insurance industry topics, Rep. Jim Davis, D-Tampa, summarized the current state of the industry in Florida during a Friday morning presentation to the Windstorm Insurance Network...
Fla. CEO Requests Rate ‘Freeze’; Insurance Council Shares His Concerns
Feb 3 2005 // Florida’s CFO Tom Gallagher has requested a freeze on all insurance rate increases for homeowners policies. According to a press release issued by the Department of Financial Services: “I learned today that...
Windstorm Panelists Doubt Hurricane Claim Settlement Statistics
Feb 2 2005 // Panelists and even the audience dispute Florida Insurance Council and Florida Office of Insurance Regulation statistics indicating that a large percentage of claims from the four hurricanes that hit Florida in 2004 have...
Fla. Cabinet Hears Multiple Deductible Status Report
Feb 1 2005 // Just three weeks after the Department of Financial Services launched its Multiple Deductible Reimbursement Program, more than 400 checks totaling $600,000 are being mailed this week, Florida’s Chief Financial Officer...
Fla. Attorney General Comments on Marsh Agreement
Jan 31 2005 // Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist, released the following statement after the announcement of an $850 million settlement between Marsh & McLennan and the New York State Attorney General and the Superintendent of...
Florida Hurricane Fund Announces Goodwill $1 Million In-Kind Donation
Jan 27 2005 // Florida Hurricane Relief Fund managers have announced a $1 million in-kind donation from Goodwill Industries of Florida to provide hurricane survivors with clothing and household items as recovery continues. The fund was...
Feb. 1-4 Windstorm Conference Agenda: Hurricane Lessons, Preparing for Summer
Jan 27 2005 // The four major hurricanes that severely impacted Florida and other states and preparing for the 2005 hurricane season will be discussed by Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center, during the Feb. 1 to 4...
League of Cities Notes Efforts of Fla. DFS, Lt. Bosworth
Jan 25 2005 // A resolution, acknowledging the Florida Department of Financial Services efforts to fight insurance fraud has been presented to Tom Gallagher, Chief Financial Officer by the Florida League of Cities. The resolution...
Ring Member Awaits Extradition From Calif. to Face Slip-and-fall Fraud Charges
Jan 24 2005 // A 30-year-old man wanted in Florida since 1995 on numerous felony charges for his alleged role in his family’s nationwide “slip-and-fall” insurance fraud scheme is in custody in California awaiting...
“Sunshine State” Offers “Weather Insurance” to Encourage Summer Meetings
Jan 24 2005 // A “supplemental weather insurance” plan to encourage organizations to schedule meetings in the “Sunshine State” during August, September and October 2005 has been announced by the board of directors...
Back to the Basics
Jan 24 2005 // E&S Industry Returns to Familiar Ground Neither wind, nor rain nor the dark cloud of standard carriers returning to the marketplace will keep excess and surplus insurance writers from maintaining profitability. From...
FRUSTRATED FLA. HOMEOWNERS UNABLE TO CASH CHECKS:
Jan 24 2005 // Although insurance payment checks have been cut, Florida homeowners are calling the state’s storm victim hotline to complain because they can’t cash them. Callers have been telling hotline operators that...
FLORIDA EXTENDS EMERGENCY RULE:
Jan 24 2005 // In an emergency meeting in Tallahassee, Gov. Jeb Bush and members of Florida’s Cabinet extended to March 31 an emergency rule prohibiting insurance companies from canceling or non-renewing policies of storm victims...
Should Citizens Compete’ Fla. Legislators Hear Opposing Opinions
Jan 20 2005 // Controversy ruled yesterday as opposing opinions were voiced to the Florida Joint Selective Committee on Hurricane Insurance about how Citizens Property Insurance Corp. should be funded and operated. Under present...
Poe Financial Group Takes Over 4,500 Citizens Policies
Jan 18 2005 // Poe Financial Group member company, Atlantic Preferred Insurance Company, announced that it has received regulatory approval to assume 4,500 property and casualty policies from Citizens Property Insurance Corporation under...
Liberty Mutual Asks for 22.3 Percent Fla. Rate Increase
Jan 17 2005 // Liberty Mutual has asked the Florida Department of Insurance Regulation to approve a 22.3 percent rate increase. If approved, the increase would take effect March 14 for new customers and May 4 for renewals. Liberty Mutual...
IIHS Attributes Saved Lives to Fla. Teen-Driving Regulation Changes
Jan 17 2005 // Nationwide driver’s license regulation changes which took place as a result of the death of a teenage driver in Florida have resulted in a reduction in the number of automobile deaths caused by teenage drivers...
