Latest Florida Headlines
All the headlines from our Florida Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Demotech Reveals Florida Insurer Ratings, Says Market ‘Most Difficult’ in U.S.
Apr 3 2020 // The long-awaited Demotech rating decisions for Florida domestic carriers are in, with many carriers having satisfied necessary steps to avoid ratings downgrades by the financial analysis firm. After affirming a slew of...
Florida Governor Issues Stay at Home Order; Insurance Deemed Essential Business
Apr 2 2020 // Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued a statewide executive order Wednesday requiring all citizens in the state to stay at home except for those doing essential business or activities. The move comes as the state has more...
What Florida Agents Need to Know During Coronavirus Crisis
Apr 1 2020 // Watch the Full Interview Powered by InsuranceJournal.tv Florida is a catastrophe-prone state when it comes to weather, but the challenges that come from a non weather-catastrophe like the current COVID-19 pandemic bring...
Demotech Affirms Ratings of 37 Florida Insurers; Still Reviewing Others
Mar 27 2020 // Demotech has affirmed 37 of the 46 Florida-based companies rated by the actuarial firm, as of March 26, according to information gathered from Demotech’s website. That leaves fewer than 10 Florida insurers that are...
Florida Declared Federal Disaster Due to Virus
Mar 27 2020 // President Donald Trump declared Florida a disaster area Wednesday because of the new coronavirus outbreak, while another of the state’s largest metropolitan areas moved toward a near-shutdown. The president acted a...
Florida Insurers Omega, Tower Hill Select to Merge into Tower Hill Signature
Mar 27 2020 // A proposed merger of Florida-based insurers Omega Insurance Co. and Tower Hill Select into Tower Hill Signature Insurance Co. has been approved by Florida regulators. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation approved the...
Florida Regulator Outlines How Industry Can Help Insureds During COVID-19 Response
Mar 26 2020 // The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has issued an additional memorandum related to the coronavirus outbreak to all the insurers and entities it regulates in an effort to provide general guidance on the treatment of...
What State Insurance Regulators Have Asked of P/C Insurers to Address Coronavirus
Mar 25 2020 // As state insurance regulators monitor and respond to the coronavirus impact on insurance, property/casualty insurers are calling on them to coordinate their requests for data and ease up on some requirements. David A....
Florida Restaurant Dining Banned by Governor; Casinos Closed
Mar 23 2020 // Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis banned all onsite dining at restaurants statewide Friday and the Seminole Tribe closed its casinos, the latest virus -related closures affecting a state that is heavily dependent on tourism to pay...
Tesla, Drivers, Regulators All to Blame for Fatal Crash, Says Safety Board
Mar 23 2020 // The National Transportation Safety Board says two drivers, Tesla and lax regulation of new partially automated driving systems are to blame for a fatal 2019 crash in Florida involving a Tesla on Autopilot. The NTSB, in a...
Business Moves
Mar 23 2020 // National Aon, Willis Towers Watson Global insurance brokers Aon and Willis Towers Watson announced a definitive agreement to combine in an all-stock transaction with an implied combined equity value of approximately $80...
Texas Court Orders Auto Insurer Windhaven National into Liquidation
Mar 23 2020 // Private passenger auto insurer Windhaven National Insurance Co. (WNIC), a Texas-domiciled subsidiary of Florida-based Windhaven Insurance, has been ordered into liquidation at the request of the Texas Department of...
Lighthouse to Acquire Prepared Insurance of Florida
Mar 23 2020 // Lighthouse Property Insurance Corp. plans to acquire its sister carrier, Prepared Insurance Company (Prepared), from Prepared Holdings Group. Lighthouse is a Louisiana-domiciled property and casualty insurance carrier...
Southeast Insurance Regulators Issue Industry Guidance for Coronavirus Outbreak
Mar 20 2020 // Insurance departments across the Southeast are notifying industry representatives of updated procedures and expectations in response to the coronavirus outbreak, while also acknowledging the potential for a serious impact...
Florida Woman Pleads Guilty to Hurricane Disaster Assistance Fraud
Mar 19 2020 // A Florida woman has pleaded guilty to lying about damage caused by Hurricane Irma. Bernita Willette Carswell, 36, pleaded guilty in Jacksonville federal court last week to one count of disaster assistance fraud, according...
EG Insurance Takes Over Policies of Defunct Windhaven MGA The Hearth
Mar 19 2020 // A new managing general agent has taken over the policies of Windhaven Insurance Company subsidiary The Hearth Group and will begin writing new business in Florida and Texas in the near future. EG Insurance Agency, based in...
TigerRisk Names O’Neill Florida Client Executive
Mar 19 2020 // TigerRisk Partners LLC, a risk/capital management and strategic advisory firm, has named Brian O’Neill partner and client executive, Florida Business. In his new role, O’Neill will foster the development of...
Florida Regulator Directs Insurers to Prepare for Coronavirus-Related Interruptions
Mar 18 2020 // The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) is directing all insurers to review and update their business continuity and/or continuity of operations plans in light of the current outbreak of coronavirus strain...
Florida Clears Insurance Agency Reps to Work Remotely Amid Coronavirus
Mar 17 2020 // Florida’s state of emergency due to the rapid spread of coronavirus in the state, and throughout the country, has created a need for many workers to work remotely. However, certain licensed insurance employees were...
Update: Florida Bans Nursing Home Visits as Coronavirus Spreads
Mar 16 2020 // Gov. Ron DeSantis on Saturday banned most visits to nursing homes statewide as he acknowledged the coronavirus has likely spread into the general population. Meanwhile, officials closed world-famous South Beach to prevent...
