Latest Florida Headlines
All the headlines from our Florida Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Climate Change And The Nightmare Scenario for Florida’s Coastal Homeowners
Apr 20 2017 // On a predictably gorgeous South Florida afternoon, Coral Gables Mayor Jim Cason sat in his office overlooking the white-linen restaurants of this affluent seaside community and wondered when climate change would bring it...
Velocity Risk Underwriters Launches Landlords Policy in Florida
Apr 20 2017 // Velocity Risk Underwriters has expanded its Florida products to include a landlords policy for rental properties (DP-3) for annual, seasonal, and vacation rentals. Velocity’s homeowners programs in Florida utilizes...
Florida’s New Tactic to Fight Zika: Release of 20K Bacteria-Infected Mosquitoes
Apr 20 2017 // Thousands of bacteria-infected mosquitoes were released in the wild Tuesday near Key West, testing a new way to kill mosquitoes that carry Zika and other viruses. The Florida Keys Mosquito Control District released 20,000...
6 Checkpoints Before You Have a Difficult Conversation
Apr 19 2017 // I’ve been on both sides of the desk, having a conversation that neither of us wanted to have. I’ve been the leader who needed to address an issue and I’ve been the person that has the issue that needs to...
Florida Wildfires Burn More Than 126K Acres So Far in 2017
Apr 19 2017 // At least 126,000 acres have burned in wildfires across Florida since January, surpassing the five-year average of acreage burned in a typical year, officials said. Florida’s fire season peaks this month, during the...
U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Appeal by Florida Floating Home Owner
Apr 19 2017 // The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected a Florida man’s latest appeal in a landmark case involving the seizure and destruction of his floating home. The justices denied without comment Fane Lozman’s petition...
10K Florida Personal Lines Policies Approved for Citizens Takeouts
Apr 18 2017 // The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) has approved one company to participate in the June Citizens Property Insurance Corporation take-out period. For the June 20, 2017 Personal Residential Take-Out Period:...
Arson Wildfires in Florida Up Nearly 70%
Apr 17 2017 // Florida officials say the number of arson wildfires has increased nearly 70 percent compared to last year. Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam said Friday there have been more than 240 separate arson wildfires so far this...
Florida Workers’ Comp Reform Battle Far From Over
Apr 13 2017 // Several bills addressing changes to Florida’s workers’ compensation system were filed this legislative session in response to court decisions from the state’s high court in 2016, but it remains to be seen...
47 Residents at Florida Apartment Complex Displaced by Fire
Apr 13 2017 // Officials say 47 people have been displaced after a fire at a southwest Florida apartment complex left one building uninhabitable. The Naples Daily News reports that North Collier Fire Rescue crews responded to Bear Creek...
Florida Gov Declares Emergency As More Than 100 Wildfires Burn Across State
Apr 12 2017 // The Florida Forest Service says more than 100 active wildfires are burning across the state right now. The Tampa Bay Times reports 25 of them are scorching more than 100 acres each. Since February, wildfires have swept...
Dead Bat Found in Fresh Express Packaged Salad in Florida
Apr 12 2017 // A recall has been issued after two people in Florida found a dead bat in the packaged salad they were eating. The Miami Herald reports that Fresh Express has recalled its Organic Marketside Spring Mix, which was shipped to...
Landers to Open New Brightway Insurance Agency in South Florida
Apr 11 2017 // Kandie Landers, owner of Brightway, The Landers Agency in Glendale, Colo., is expanding to become a multi-unit owner with Brightway Insurance with the opening of her second agency in South Florida this...
Florida to Help Foster Children Get Drivers’ Licenses, Insurance
Apr 7 2017 // Children in Florida foster care will get help obtaining a driver’s license and auto insurance under a bill heading to Gov. Rick Scott. The House unanimously passed the bill Wednesday that would make permanent a pilot...
Florida Launches AOB Resource, Education Webpage for Consumers
Apr 6 2017 // The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) has launched a new webpage as part of its efforts to educate Florida consumers about the state’s ongoing challenges with assignment of benefits abuse. The AOB resource...
Florida Senator Alleges ‘Smear Campaign’ After Industry-Backed AOB Bill Stalls
Apr 5 2017 // A bill backed by the insurance industry to curb the abuse of Florida’s one-way attorney fee statute in assignment of benefit claims has stalled as lawmakers opted to instead advance what the insurance industry and...
Business Moves
Apr 3 2017 // KKR, Canadian Pension Fund, USI Insurance Services, Carolina First Associates Private equity firm KKR and Canadian pension fund Caisse de depôt et placement du Quebec (CDPQ) have agreed to buy USI Insurance Services from...
Florida Property Insurers Avoid Ratings Downgrades From Demotech, For Now
Apr 3 2017 // Ratings company Demotech is holding off on issuing large-scale ratings downgrades of Florida property insurers for now, after a number of insurers heeded its warning about the effects of assignment of benefits abuse and...
Florida Insurance Agent Gets 4 Years for $100K Premium Theft
Apr 2 2017 // A former Florida insurance agent has been convicted and sentenced to four years in prison for stealing more than $100,000 from two elderly clients, according to a statement from the state’s Chief Financial Officer...
Florida Continues Aggressive Efforts to Stop Zika
Mar 31 2017 // Florida officials say they’re continuing aggressive efforts to stop the spread of the Zika virus. Gov. Rick Scott met Monday with Miami-Dade County officials to discuss Zika preparedness ahead of Florida’s...
