Latest Florida Headlines
All the headlines from our Florida Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Mystery on Why Two Pesticide Workers Died After Fumigating Florida Warehouse
Apr 27 2023 // South Florida authorities are still investigating after two pesticide workers died and a third was hospitalized after fumigating a Pompano Beach warehouse. The three workers sprayed the Baer’s Furniture Warehouse...
Uber Eats Driver Slain, Dismembered in Florida After Making Delivery
Apr 27 2023 // A Florida man is charged with murder and other offenses in the slaying and dismemberment of an Uber Eats driver who had brought food to the assailant’s house, authorities said Tuesday. Oscar Solis Jr., 30, is charged...
South Florida Condo Building Evacuated After 60-Year Inspection
Apr 26 2023 // Residents of a South Florida waterfront condominium that was deemed unsafe during a recent inspection have until Tuesday morning to evacuate. A building engineer conducting an inspection on April 14 for the Majestic Isle...
Florida DA Orders Investigation After Homeowner Fires at Delivery Driver
Apr 25 2023 // A Florida prosecutor has ordered an investigation in a confrontation in which a homeowner fired shots into a couple’s car when they mistakenly turned onto his property while making a late-night grocery delivery....
Florida Family Files Suit, Says Body of Man Who Died on Cruise Was Kept in Cooler
Apr 24 2023 // A widow and her family are suing Celebrity Cruises for allegedly mishandling her husband’s body after he died while they were on a ship last year, saying it was left to decompose and they suffered extreme emotional...
Florida Lawmakers Approve Catalytic Converter Bill, Senate Passes Windshield Limits
Apr 21 2023 // The Florida House of Representatives has approved a bill that would stiffen penalties for catalytic converter theft and would make it easier to prove intent. Senate Bill 306 now goes to the governor for his signature. The...
Florida Lawmakers May End Disney Ride Inspection Exemptions in DeSantis Crusade
Apr 19 2023 // Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida lawmakers ratcheted up pressure on Walt Disney World on Monday by announcing legislation that will use the regulatory powers of Florida government to exert unprecedented oversight on the park...
Only 3 Insurers Sign Up for Florida Re Plan and Hopes for a New Plan Are Fading Fast
Apr 19 2023 // After five years of tweaks to Florida’s insurance and tort laws, all designed to reduce the vast amount of claims litigation and – eventually – bring down property rates, many in the industry argue that...
Florida Insurers Facing a New 1% Assessment on Premiums for Insolvent Insurer Claims
Apr 18 2023 // Florida property insurers are preparing for another assessment on premiums to help the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association fund outstanding claims from an insolvent insurer. The 1% emergency assessment on all premium...
Breaking it Down: What Florida Insurers Need to Know about Bad Faith After Tort Reform
Apr 18 2023 // Bad-faith litigation is a hot topic in Florida following the passage of the new tort-reform measure known as House Bill 837. However, even in the face of reasonable legislative changes, it remains important for insurers...
Why Downpour in South Florida Just Wouldn’t Stop, Portending Future Floods
Apr 17 2023 // In some ways, it was the Florida Man of storms – not quite knowing when to say when. Usually, thunderstorms fizzle out after they run out of rain or get cold air sucked in. But not Wednesday, when the storm that hit...
Update: Florida Roofing Company Owners Plead Guilty to More Than $1M in Tax Evasion
Apr 17 2023 // The owners of a Fort Myers roofing company, one that has been the subject of a number of complaints from consumers and which has filed multiple assignment-of-benefits lawsuits against property insurers, have pleaded guilty...
Oakbridge Expands into Florida with Hunnicutt Insurance Agency
Apr 17 2023 // Oakbridge Insurance Agency, a large independent agency and brokerage with offices around the country, has expanded its presence into Florida with the addition of Hunnicutt Insurance agency in Fort Walton Beach. Hunnicutt...
Florida Insurance Agent Sentenced to 14 Years for Premium Fraud
Apr 17 2023 // More than 18 months after he pleaded guilty to absconding with almost $5 million in premiums, a Florida insurance agent has been sentenced to 14 years in prison. John M. Thomas, 52, the former owner of Thomas Insurance...
Federal Law Preempts Stolen Cargo Claim by Insurer Against Florida Transport Broker
Apr 14 2023 // Landstar Ranger, a transportation broker based in Jacksonville, sent a truck driver who called himself “James” to pick up cargo in Colorado for delivery to Maryland. A dispatcher authorized the pickup even...
Torrential Rain Floods Parts of South Florida, Closing Schools, Airport, Rail Service
Apr 14 2023 // Nearly a foot of rain fell in a matter of hours in Fort Lauderdale – causing widespread flooding, the closure of the city’s airport, schools and the suspension of high-speed commuter rail service for the...
Florida Commercial Insurer Capacity Insurance Now in Runoff, OIR Order Says
Apr 14 2023 // Less than a year after it announced it would stop writing new business in Florida, commercial carrier Capacity Insurance has been placed under administrative supervision and is now in an orderly runoff. The Florida Office...
HCI Launching New Florida HO Insurer After Go-Ahead From Regulators
Apr 13 2023 // Florida regulators have given a green light to a new homeowners insurance company, the first since state lawmakers took steps in December to rein in costly claims litigation. Tailrow Insurance Co., part of HCI Group, was...
Florida Windshield Bill Moves Closer to Law; Amendment Allows Managed Repair Plans
Apr 12 2023 // Bills that would ban assignment of benefits for windshield repairs moved a step closer to becoming law this week after they passed their third and final committee stops. A late amendment to the bills would bar insurance...
Wildfire Threat Grows as Florida Drought Worsens
Apr 11 2023 // The threat of wildfires is growing in Florida over the coming weeks as more than half the state is experiencing severe to extreme drought conditions likely to persist until rainy season resumes around mid-May, state and...
