Southeast News

Florida OIR Tells Citizens to Rethink Maximum Rate Increase on HO Policies

When Citizens Property Insurance Corp. in June filed for the maximum rate increases allowed by its statutory glidepath, many in the Florida insurance industry saw it as a good thing, needed to help steer policyholders back toward the beleagured primary …

Wright Flood to Launch Residential, Private Flood Insurance Option in 5 States

Wright National Flood Insurance Services introduced FocusFlood, the company’s newest product and an extension of its popular ResiFlood program, into Florida, Texas, New Jersey, South Carolina and Louisiana. Written on a non-admitted basis, FocusFlood is the latest proprietary private flood …

Third Child Dies Following House Fire in North Carolina

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — A third child has died following a weekend house fire in North Carolina, officials said. Fire-fighting crews were dispatched to a one-story public housing duplex in Concord, northeast of Charlotte, shortly after 1:00 a.m. Sunday. Firefighters …

Insureds Hot About Flood Insurance Costs? Some Areas Are Seeing 35% Discounts

Florida property owners stuck with higher premiums and new flood insurance mandates may want to nudge their local governments to take a look at the town of Cutler Bay and the counties of Monroe, Pinellas and Ocala. Those jurisdictions are …

Family of NFL QB Haskins Reaches Settlement After Death on Florida Interstate

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The estate of late NFL quarterback Dwayne Haskins has reached a “partial settlement” in its lawsuit against the driver, the owner and the broker of the dump truck that struck and killed Haskins, the family`s …

Victims of Deadly Smoky Mountain Fire Get Another Chance at Lawsuits

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (AP) — Victims of a deadly 2016 wildfire that began in Great Smoky Mountains National Park before it burned through a Tennessee tourist town will have another chance to seek compensation from the federal government. Several lawsuits claim …

A Year After Uproar over Demotech Ratings, Little Has Changed, But Questions Remain

A little more than a year ago, the Demotech financial rating firm ignited a storm of controversy in Florida when it sent letters to a reported 16 insurance carriers, warning that the companies were about to have their financial stability …

Oakbridge Acquires Georgia-based Cole Agency

Oakbridge Insurance Agency, one of the larger independent agencies in the country, has expanded again with the acquisition of the Cole Agency in Montezuma, Georgia. Cole has specialized in poultry insurance since 1989 but also offers coverage plans for others …

Police Respond to ‘Chaos’ as Florida Condo Owners Outraged Over Insurance Fees

Shouts, shoves and chaos broke out and police had to be called when condominium owners in Pembroke Pines, Florida, objected to being shut out of an association meeting called to discuss higher fees due to spiking insurance premiums. Fortune magazine …

Judge Won’t Block Florida Law Banning Chinese Ownership of Property

(Reuters) – A U.S. judge in Florida on Thursday declined to block the state’s law barring citizens of China and other “countries of concern” from owning homes or land in the state. U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor in Tallahassee, Florida, …

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