Latest Florida Headlines
All the headlines from our Florida Topic Page, ordered by recency.
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...
S. Fla. Cracks Down: Car-wreck Insurance Fraud Con Artists Targeted
Jan 17 2005 // South Florida insurance fraud artists are becoming so rampant in the area that authorities have launched a campaign to catch area con artists who stage car wrecks and bilk insurance companies of hundreds of thousands of...
Patkus Resigns as President/COO of Harleysville; Moves to The Hanover as Regional VP
Jan 17 2005 // M. Lee Patkus, president and chief operating officer of Harleysville Group Inc., has resigned his positions and will leave the company on Jan. 21, 2005. He will begin a new position as regional vice president of The...
AIR White Paper Analyzes Multiple Catastrophes
Jan 14 2005 // Boston-based AIR Worldwide Corporation has released a white paper entitled “Analyzing and Preparing for Multiple Event Seasons,” which it said demonstrates how the industry can “prepare for multiple...
Fla. H.B. 117 to Require Certification for Mold Remediation Professionals
Jan 14 2005 // Legislation to require mold professionals working in Florida to be trained, licensed and certified has been filed by Rep. Carl J. Domino (R-West Palm Beach). House Bill 117, co-sponsored by Rep. Franklin Sands (D-Weston),...
PCI Asks Fla. Committee: Give Hurricane Reforms Time Before Making Changes
Jan 14 2005 // The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America urged Florida lawmakers meeting today in Tallahassee to allow the reforms made to hurricane insurance deductibles during the special legislative session to have time to...
Fla. Legislative Committees Preparing for 2005 Session
Jan 12 2005 // An overview of property and casualty issues, homeowners, commercial property, PIP, medical malpractice and workers’ compensation have been presented to Florida legislative committees by Gary Guzzo, Florida Insurance...
Philadelphia Consolidated Holding Corp. Personal Lines Division Back to Accepting New Applications; Fla. Targeted Market
Jan 12 2005 // Philadelphia Consolidated Holding Corp. on Wednesday announced that its personal lines division, Liberty American Insurance Group, has resumed accepting new insurance applications for its homeowners, condominium and rental...
Citizens to Dramatically Raise Fla. Premiums
Jan 11 2005 // Florida homeowners with Citizens Property Insurance Corporation policies will be shocked this spring when their renewal notices arrive and they discover that the cost of premiums have risen dramatically, some by as much as...
Fla. Agent Fled to Ga.; Apprehended on Felony Charges
Jan 11 2005 // A Florida insurance agent who allegedly failed to place auto and general liability coverage for at least 11 trucking companies has been apprehended in Georgia on an outstanding warrant. Kim Laustra, 43, was an agent at the...
Snow-birds Flocking to Fla., Filing 8,000 Damage Claims Per Week
Jan 10 2005 // Snow-birds who only come to Florida in the winter are accounting for an average of 8,000 new hurricane damage claims per week according to the Hurricane Insurance Information Center and the Florida Insurance Council. More...
State Farm, Fla. A/G Crist Agree to Reimburse Customers Who Bought Damaged, Stolen Cars
Jan 10 2005 // Florida motorists may be eligible for refunds of as much as $20,000 under a nationwide agreement to benefit individuals who unknowingly purchased damaged or stolen cars from State Farm Mutual Insurance Company. Attorney...
Four Fla. Companies Canceling 9,000 Policies, One Firm Leaving the State
Jan 7 2005 // Four small insurance companies are in the process of canceling 9,000 policies, while one is leaving Florida, according to Valerie Beynon, an Office of Insurance Regulation spokeswoman. Liberty American, Penn Charter,...
Mutiple Deductible Reimbursement Program Lauched to Aid Fla. Hurricane Victims
Jan 6 2005 // The program to reimburse Floridians who were subject to multiple insurance deductibles because their homes were damaged by more than one hurricane in 2004 was launched today by Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Tom...
Thirteen Fla. Insurers Request 11 to 60 Percent Policy Rate Hikes
Jan 5 2005 // Thirteen Florida insurance companies have requested 11 to 60 percent premium rate increases from the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR). Regulators will be reviewing the requests this month and will either...
