Latest Florida Headlines
All the headlines from our Florida Topic Page, ordered by recency.
More Data Show All Trends Pointing in Right Direction for Florida Insurers
Apr 10 2024 // Policyholder surplus increased significantly, direct premium written jumped, and combined ratio has fallen for Florida-focused property insurance carriers in 2023, according to a Gallagher Re report released this week. The...
Former Florida Insurance Commissioner, Agent and FAIA Chair Gunter Dies
Apr 9 2024 // Former Florida insurance commissioner, treasurer and Congressman Bill Gunter died Monday at his Tallahassee home. He was 89. “He was a strong, thoughtful public servant and pioneer in insurance regulation as...
The Risky Economics of ‘Going Bare’ Without Homeowners Insurance
Apr 8 2024 // Owning a home can feel like risky business, from coming up with the mortgage payment every month to worrying about disasters like fires or floods or tornadoes. But here is something riskier still: Going without home...
Florida Panhandle Wildfire Destroys Home, Damages 15 Others
Apr 8 2024 // PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — A wildfire in the Florida Panhandle has destroyed a home and damaged at least 15 others. The Florida Forest Service said Friday that the blaze, which broke out Thursday near Pensacola, was now more...
Gunfight at South Florida Bar Leaves 2 Dead, 7 Injured
Apr 8 2024 // DORAL, Fla. (AP) — A gunfight at a suburban Miami bar left two people dead and seven injured early Saturday. Investigators said a fight between customers broke out around 3:30 a.m. at the Martini Bar in the CityPlace...
Florida OIR Says Enhanced Data Reporting on Hurricane Ian Claims is Due April 17
Apr 5 2024 // The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation is reminding carriers that additional data is due April 17 on Hurricane Ian claims. All property insurers are required by law to submit the enhanced catastrophe reports, including...
Viewpoint: Florida Insurance Market on the Mend
Apr 5 2024 // Almost one year ago, on May 31, 2023, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed sweeping insurance reform legislation into law. At that time, the Florida insurance market was on life support. Homeowners’ insurance companies,...
South Florida Crane Collapse Kills 1 Worker, Injuries People on Bridge
Apr 5 2024 // A construction worker was killed and three other people were injured when a crane section fell onto a bridge in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, heavily damaging cars that were crossing the bridge Thursday. The Miami Herald and...
Buyers’ Market Prevails During April Renewals as Reinsurers Seek Growth
Apr 5 2024 // Brokers Aon and Gallagher Re described a buyers’ reinsurance market for the April 1, 2024 property and specialty renewals as reinsurer profit margins benefited from last year’s “redistribution of...
Brown & Brown Buys Citrus/CHAPP Agency in Florida
Apr 4 2024 // Brown & Brown Inc., the sprawling U.S. insurance brokerage based in Daytona Beach, has acquired Citrus Insurance and its affiliate, CHAPP Inc., which secures workers’ compensation coverage for citrus growers in...
A New Approach: Florida Agents Association Makes Big Investment in Startup Insurer
Apr 4 2024 // The Florida Association of Insurance Agents, the largest agent group in the state, has taken the unprecedented step of investing in a startup insurance carrier, a move designed to help keep agents in the game and bring...
Palm Beach Elite Are Raising Money to Lure Vanderbilt to Florida
Apr 3 2024 // Wealthy Florida residents and developers are looking to raise at least $300 million for Vanderbilt University to build a sprawling campus in West Palm Beach. Billionaire developer Steve Ross hosted a reception at his Palm...
Migrants Flown to Martha’s Vineyard by DeSantis Can Sue Charter Flight Company
Apr 3 2024 // BOSTON (AP) — Lawyers representing migrants flown to Martha’s Vineyard nearly two years ago by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis can sue the charter flight company that transported them, according to a ruling Monday by a...
Georgia’s Latest Effort on Plaintiff Demands Aims to Deter Bad-Faith Claims
Apr 3 2024 // Georgia lawmakers have approved two bills that could have a significant impact on windstorm and bad-faith claim losses for property insurers. First, the bad-faith reform legislation. Auto insurers have for years fought for...
Florida Supreme Court Lets Recreational Marijuana Stay on November Ballot
Apr 2 2024 // U.S.-listed shares of pot producers rose premarket on Tuesday after the Florida Supreme Court on Monday allowed voters to decide on the fate of recreational use of marijuana in the state through a referendum on the...
AJG Acquires Florida’s Specialty Risk Management Agency
Apr 2 2024 // The global insurance brokerage Arthur J. Gallagher has acquired Fort Myers-based Specialty Risk Management Services and its affiliate agency, Private Client Insurance Services, the broker announced Monday. Specialty Risk...
NICB Praises Florida’s New Law on Predatory Tow Truck Practices
Apr 2 2024 // The National Insurance Crime Bureau is hailing a new Florida law that aims to deter predatory tow-truck practices and limit the fees that tow companies can charge. House Bill 179 was signed by the governor in March and it...
US Home Insurance Premiums May Hit a Record This Year, Report Warns
Apr 1 2024 // US home insurance rates are expected to reach a record high this year, with the biggest increases occurring in states prone to severe weather events, according to a new analysis. The average premium for homeowners...
FEMA: SW Florida Stripped of Flood Insurance Discounts After ‘Improper Rebuilds’
Apr 1 2024 // After spiking premiums, nonrenewals and complaints about unpaid claims, more than 115,000 property owners in southwest Florida are now facing a new slap in the face after 2022’s Hurricane Ian: 25% higher flood...
Fire Chasing May be Latest Iteration of Unscrupulous Tactics
Apr 1 2024 // Fire chasing may be only the latest example of some public claims adjusters and contractors using aggressive and underhanded tactics to tap into property insurance payouts. In hurricane-prone Florida, a state with more...
