Articles by William Rabb

Rabb is Southeast Editor for Insurance Journal. He is a long-time newspaper man in the Deep South; also covered workers' comp insurance issues for a trade publication for a few years.

Florida Condo Bill Gives Owners Some Slack But Brings New Insurance Concerns

Florida lawmakers late last week gave final approval to a long-debated condominium bill, one designed to give condo owners a little relief on the high cost of bringing structures up to code. But the final version of the bill seems …

Florida Bill Passes Making it Easier for Agents to Seek Surplus Lines Coverage

Starting July 1, Florida insurance agents will no longer need to make a “diligent effort” to find coverage for hard-to-place properties before turning to surplus lines insurance if the governor signs House Bill 1549 into law. But a separate bill …

Update: Members, Universal Pay Fines, $2.6 Million in Refunds After NC Conduct Report

Two subsidiaries of Auto Club Group have agreed to refund $2.6 million to policyholders and to pay $113,000 in fines after a market conduct examination by the North Carolina Department of Insurance. Members Insurance Co. and Universal Insurance Co., both …

Florida Citizens ‘Going Naked’ on Reinsurance Below Cat Fund Layer

Reinsurance prices have dropped since Florida’s 2022-2023 litigation reform measures were enacted, but the biggest rate reductions are mostly for reinsurance above what the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund provides, Citizens Property Insurance Corp. officials said this week. “Rate reductions are …

Aspen Specialty Settles With Condo in $11M Nashville Bombing Coverage Dispute

Aspen Specialty Insurance Co. has reached a settlement with the owners of a Nashville condominium building that was badly damaged in the Christmas Day bombing in 2020. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Both sides have agreed to …

Heritage Files Libel, Defamation Suit vs. Adjuster After ’60 Minutes’ Report

Six weeks after Tampa-based Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Co. filed a libel suit against a whistleblower claims adjuster, the adjuster’s lawyer has pushed back, arguing that the suit is an attempt to silence those who question insurers’ damage estimates. …

Did Florida House ‘Sneak’ Attorney Fee Wording Into Phosphate Mine Bill?

A late amendment to a phosphate mine bill has set off alarm bells among some in the Florida insurance industry, with concerns that it could cut out the heart of 2022 and 2023 legislative changes that disincentivized excessive claims litigation. …

Florida Class Action Targets Litigation Funding Firm Over Data Breach

Third-party litigation financing have become big business across the country, much to the chagrin of businesses and insurance companies that have faced multi-million lawsuit verdicts. But now one Florida-based litigation funding firm, which has loaned money to plaintiffs in a …

Florida Bill Advances, Would End Board of Engineers, Other Professional Agencies

Elon Musk’s age of government efficiency has spread to Florida, with legislation advanced last week that would abolish at least 22 state boards that oversee licensing and disciplinary reviews for engineers, contractors, building inspectors, accountants and many more professionals. House …

USI Says Lockton, Former Team Leader Poached Workers, Harmed Client Relations

USI Insurance Services, one of the largest brokerages in the country, has filed suit against a former sales team leader and another powerhouse broker, Lockton, accusing them of poaching employees and harming client relationships. Elisia Hahnenberg, who began her career …