Latest Florida Headlines
All the headlines from our Florida Topic Page, ordered by recency.
State Farm Says It Will Reconsider Florida Exit If Rates Deregulated
Jun 22 2009 // Florida’s biggest private insurer of property, State Farm Florida, has told Gov. Charlie Crist it would “be willing to re-examine its options” and its decision to leave the state’s home insurance...
Underage Drinking Costing Floridians $3 Billion a Year
Jun 19 2009 // Each year, the economic impact of alcohol-related crime, traffic crashes, health care and other costs attributable to underage drinking totals slightly more than $3 billion in Florida. Alcohol-attributable violent crime...
Florida’s Sunshine State Insurance Promotes Vanderpool
Jun 19 2009 // Jeffrey A. Vanderpool has been promoted to senior vice president and chief claims officer at Sunshine State Insurance Co. in St. Augustine, Fla. Vanderpool has served as vice president of caims since he joined the company...
Florida Amends Rules for Reporting Professional Liability Claims
Jun 18 2009 // Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has signed into law a bill that amends the rules for reporting of professional liability claims by insurers and health care providers. The bill (SB 2252) also defines when a claim exists and sets...
Did Florida’s 2003 Reforms Reduce Workers’ Comp Attorney Involvement?
Jun 18 2009 // After Florida limited the fees paid to attorneys in workers’ compensation in 2003, attorney involvement in cases fell only slightly, according to new research. A significant proportion of Florida workers injured at...
A.M. Best Downgrades State Farm Florida; Outlook Negative
Jun 18 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has downgraded the financial strength rating to B (Fair) from B+ (Good) and issuer credit rating to “bb” from “bbb-” of State Farm Florida Insurance Co. The rating agency’s...
Florida’s Argus Insurance Downgraded by A.M. Best
Jun 18 2009 // A.M. Best Co. has downgraded the financial strength rating to D (Poor) from C- (Weak) and issuer credit rating to “c” from “ccc-” of Argus Fire & Casualty Insurance Co. of North Miami Beach,...
Florida Bans Municipalities From Charging First Responder Fees
Jun 17 2009 // Florida Governor Charlie Crist has signed into law legislation blocking local governments from billing motorists for emergency response services at the scene of an automobile accident. SB 2282, sponsored by Sen. Mike...
Florida Judge Rules Out Punitive Damages in Accounting Malpractice
Jun 17 2009 // A Miami judge ruled on Tuesday that BDO International B.V. should not have to pay $352 million in punitive damages awarded against its U.S. member, BDO Seidman, in an ongoing landmark audit malpractice trial. Closing...
Florida Governor Signs Citizens Insurance 10% Rate Hike Bill Into Law
Jun 15 2009 // Florida Gov. Charlie Crist has signed legislation that will increase property insurance rates by 10 percent annually on more than one million customers of the state-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp. and gradually...
Florida Welcoming New Latin Independent Agents, While Still Coping with Old Market Problems
Jun 15 2009 // LAAIA Chief Says Property Markets Will Be a Problem in South Florida Until There’s a National Plan Being an independent agent in south Florida means never having enough property markets. That was true years ago and...
Declarations
Jun 15 2009 // Travelers on The Dow “The selection of Travelers, a property and casualty insurance company, is intended to restore the financials industry to full representation in The Dow. When we removed American International...
Florida Cuts Workers’ Comp Rates After Lawyer Fee Cap Reinstated
Jun 15 2009 // Florida’s insurance regulator has approved a rollback of workers’ compensation insurance rates from April 1 rates to the lower rates that were in effect on Jan. 1. The order by Florida Insurance Commissioner...
Crist Veto of Condo ‘Glitch’ Bill a Letdown for Unit Owners, Agents
Jun 15 2009 // Critics Say Florida Governor Let Fire Sprinkler Deadline Provision Overshadow Other Benefits Florida Gov. Charlie Crist’s veto of a condo insurance bill has disappointed condo unit owners and insurance agents who...
Gov. Crist Signs Florida Surplus Lines Regulation Bill
Jun 12 2009 // Legislation intended to clarify the regulation of the surplus lines insurance industry in Florida has beeen signed into law by Gov. Charlie Crist. The legislation (HB 853) removes an ambiguity caused by two Florida Supreme...
Florida Chamber Says Poll Numbers Support Insurance Deregulation
Jun 9 2009 // The Florida Chamber of Commerce released a poll it says shows that 60 percent of Florida voters believe Governor Charlie Crist should sign HB 1171, a bill which deregulates pricing for some large property insurers, while...
CFO of Florida’s United Insurance Resigns
Jun 9 2009 // The chief financial officer of United Insurance Holdings Corp. in St. Petersburg, Florida, has resigned, the company announced. The homeowner insurer said Nicholas Griffin resigned June 5 to pursue another opportunity but...
Universal Insurance Holdings To Purchase ICAT Specialty Insurance
Jun 8 2009 // Universal Insurance Holdings of North America and ICAT Holdings LLC of Boulder, Colo., have received regulatory approval that completes Universal North America’s purchase of ICAT Specialty Insurance Co. (ISIC). Under...
Florida Gov. Crist Says He’s Likely to Veto Insurance Deregulation Bill
Jun 5 2009 // Florida Gov. Charlie Crist says he’s leaning toward vetoing a bill that would deregulate some premiums for property insurance. Asked he would veto the bill, Crist said he’s “moving in that...
Florida’s Crist Caught Between Dueling Officials on Insurance Deregulation
Jun 5 2009 // If Florida Gov. Charlie Crist vetoes a bill designed to deregulate pricing for large national property insurers as appears likely, he will be siding with an appointed official over an influential lawmaker. Crist, who is...
