Latest Florida Headlines
All the headlines from our Florida Topic Page, ordered by recency.
One of Florida’s Worst Red Tides Finally Clears
Mar 6 2019 // Experts say the red tide that plagued Florida’s coastline for 15 months is one of the five worst toxic algae events in the state’s recorded history. State lawmakers from southwest Florida met with scientists on...
Death Toll Climbs After Tornadoes Strike Southeast
Mar 5 2019 // This photo shows debris in Lee County, Ala., after what appeared to be a tornado struck in the area Sunday, March 3, 2019. Severe storms destroyed mobile homes, snapped trees and left a trail of destruction amid weather...
AmWINS Completes Acquisition of The Flood Insurance Agency of Florida
Mar 5 2019 // AmWINS Group, Inc., a global distributor of specialty insurance products and services, has completed the acquisition of The Flood Insurance Agency (TFIA), a Florida-based managing general agency that specializes in private...
Florida CFO Launches ‘Fraud Free Florida’ Anti-Fraud Initiative
Mar 5 2019 // Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis has announced a new initiative aimed at reducing fraud in the state. According to a statement from the Florida Department of Financial Services, the “Fraud Free...
Aon Partners with Claim Central; Opens New Claims Center in Florida
Mar 4 2019 // Aon plc has established a strategic alliance with global insurtech firm Claim Central to digitize and streamline claim management capabilities and improve the customer experience through technology and services developed...
2 Fatal Tesla Crashes in Florida Trigger Federal Safety Investigations
Mar 4 2019 // U.S. authorities are investigating a fatal Tesla Inc. Model S crash in Florida last Sunday that killed the driver and caused a massive fire, the second fatal Tesla crash in the state this week being probed, the National...
Florida CFO Asks Public for Help in Catching Serial Arsonist
Mar 1 2019 // Florida officials are looking for assistance from residents of Lake County, Fla., in catching a suspected serial arsonist who is believed to be connected to multiple fires in the Umatilla area, according to a statement...
Will 7th Time Be the Charm? Industry Makes Big Push for AOB Reform in 2019
Feb 28 2019 // The push for assignment of benefits (AOB) reform in the 2019 Florida legislative session is in full swing, and the insurance industry and consumer advocates have pulled out all the stops to emphasize their contention that...
Green Beans, Butternut Squash Sold in Southeast Recalled
Feb 28 2019 // A Florida company has issued a voluntary recall of Marketside brand green beans and butternut squash because of a possible Listeria contamination. Southern Specialties Inc. of Pompano Beach, Florida, announced the recall...
Sometimes I Disagree with the Blogs I Love
Feb 27 2019 // I’m a fan of insurance news and bloggers. Here are some sites and blogs that I read daily (or weekly, depending on frequency). Insurance Journal – Of course. I was an IJ fan way before I became so closely related...
FedNat to Buy Maison Homeowners Insurance Operations from 1347 Holdings
Feb 26 2019 // FedNat Holding Co. has agreed to purchase substantially all of 1347 Property Insurance Holdings homeowners’ insurance operations, consisting of Maison Insurance Co., Maison Managers and ClaimCor in a 50/50 cash and...
Florida Deputy Arrested for Filing False Auto Claim with GEICO
Feb 25 2019 // A deputy with the sheriff’s office in Orange County, Fla., has been arrested after he allegedly filed a false and fraudulent automobile insurance claim with GEICO Insurance Co., according to a statement from the...
Florida Woman Arrested in $68K Hurricane Irma Scam
Feb 21 2019 // A Florida woman has been arrested for alleged unlicensed practice of public adjusting and grand theft related to Hurricane Irma, according to a statement from the Florida Department of Financial Services. Mary Bruce is...
AM Best Revises Outlooks to Negative for Florida-Based Universal North America
Feb 20 2019 // AM Best has revised the outlooks to negative from stable and affirmed the Financial Strength Rating (FSR) of A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating (Long-Term ICR) of “a-” of Universal North...
Business Moves
Feb 18 2019 // National AmWINS, The Flood Agency Specialty insurance broker AmWINS Group has agreed to acquire The Flood Insurance Agency, a Florida-based managing general agency that specializes in private market flood insurance. The...
People
Feb 18 2019 // National MetLife has named Darla Finchum as head of the company’s U.S. property/casualty business, MetLife Auto & Home. Finchum had been serving in this role on an interim basis since last August. She will be...
Eating an Elephant: Tales from 9 Agency Start-Ups
Feb 18 2019 // What motivates people to take a risk in an industry dedicated to managing risk? New independent agencies are born of various circumstances. Sometimes it’s about seizing an opportunity that comes along; other times,...
Famed Beachside Bar in Florida Panhandle Destroyed by Fire
Feb 15 2019 // Fire officials in Florida’s Panhandle say a fire has destroyed a famed beachside restaurant and bar. The South Walton Fire District said in a Facebook posting that crews responded to the Red Bar around 6 a.m....
Alera Group Acquires Whipple & Company of Florida
Feb 12 2019 // Alera Group, a national insurance firm, has acquired Whipple & Company, effective Feb. 1, 2019. Terms of the transaction were not announced. Whipple & Company, based in Boca Raton, Fla., was founded in late 2016 by...
Dozens of Animals Killed in Fire at Florida Wildlife Sanctuary
Feb 7 2019 // Firefighters say dozens of animals are dead following a fire at a central Florida animal sanctuary. Orange County Fire Rescue officials posted on Twitter that the fire broke out early Monday at Second Chance Wildlife...
