Southeast News

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 …

Major Florida Grower to Build New Home Development After Ending Citrus Operations

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — One of Florida’s biggest citrus growers plans to build a 3,000-acre (1,200 hectare) community in southwest Florida, just months after announcing it was abandoning its citrus-growing operations at the end of this year’s season. Alico, …

Coal Country Voices Say Closure of MSHA Offices Endangers Mine Safety

Retired coal miner Stanley “Goose” Stewart questions whether it’s safe for anyone to work in the industry right now. The Department of Government Efficiency, created by President Donald Trump and run by Elon Musk, has been targeting federal agencies for …

NC Committee Approves Bill to End Education Requirements for Insurance Agents

A North Carolina House of Representatives committee voted Wednesday to do away with educational course requirements for insurance agent licenses, a move that could help address what has been called a shortage of producers in the state. “It’s a 40-hour …

Florida’s Anchor Insurance is Reborn as Patriot Select With $29M in Capital

It was once known as Anchor Property & Casualty Insurance Co., based in St. Petersburg, Florida, and launched in 2014. Then it was known as another Florida carrier that had slipped into financial troubles and was placed into an orderly …

Kentucky Tobacco Warehouse Manager Indicted in Crop Insurance Fraud Scheme

Prosecution of widespread crop insurance fraud in Kentucky has continued with the indictment of a tobacco warehouse manager who allegedly facilitated some of the schemes. Thomas H. Kirkpatrick, manager of Farmers Tobacco Warehouse in Danville, conspired with at least four …

King Risk Acquires Watts Dawson Agency in Florida

King Risk Partners, based in Gainesville, Florida, has acquired Watts, Dawson & Associates, an independent agency with offices in Temple Terrace and Valrico, Florida. The move expands King Risk’s presence in Florida, the company said in an announcement this week. …

APCIA Says Floridians Agree: Insurance Litigation Changes Are Working. Don’t Undo

Florida’s property insurance market is an example of the powerful impact that strong legislative reforms can have in addressing a crisis. Other states, like Georgia, have seen the benefits of Florida’s legal system abuse reforms and are following suit with …

Growing Fast, Going Public: Florida’s American Integrity Insurance Files for IPO

American Integrity Insurance, one of the largest property insurance carriers in Florida with more than 350,000 policies in force, is going to Wall Street with an initial public offering. The Tampa-based parent company, American Integrity Insurance Group, founded in 2006, …

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