Articles by Michael Adams

Florida Lawmakers Approve Medical Malpractice Reform

In a victory for medical malpractice insurers and physicians, Florida lawmakers have approved a series of tort reforms that among other things will require expert witnesses testifying against physicians in a malpractice suit to be engaged in the same specialty. …

Florida Approves Cap on Physician-Dispensed Drugs for Workers’ Compensation

After years of struggling to rein in the cost of physician-dispensed drugs, Florida workers’ compensation insurers finally reached a compromise with physicians and drug companies that is projected to reduce costs by some $20 million. Florida lawmakers today approved the …

Florida Insurers Save Tax Credit … For Now

Florida insurers are showing some signs of relief after they convinced House lawmakers to stop a Senate bill that would have eliminated a 15 percent insurance premium tax credit. The Senate bill would have used the funds to reduce automobile …

Florida Senate Approves Citizens Reform Bill; Path Ahead Remains Uncertain

Florida lawmakers have taken the first step towards reforming the state-backed property insurer, but not before significantly scaling back its impact on policyholders while the chances for final legislative approval remain uncertain. Senate lawmakers have been working for months on …

Allianz Vows to Fight Florida Regulators’ Charges in Magnolia Case

Allianz Risk Transfer (ART NY) has vowed to strongly repudiate charges levied by Florida regulators that it contributed to the collapse of a domestic property insurer by seizing management control and saddling it with millions in fees. The Florida Department …

Florida Judge Upholds Injunction Against Portions of State’s PIP Law

A Florida judge has upheld his temporary injunction partially blocking portions of the state’s automobile no-fault insurance law on the basis it infringes on drivers’ access to the courts. As a result, regulators are appealing to a higher court. Second …

Florida’s Latest PIP Conundrum: Medical Fees

Florida’s high court is poised to decide how much money insurers owe some medical providers in cases where an auto policy does not specifically state that the fees will be based on a fee schedule approved by state lawmakers in …

Florida Alleges Fraud by Allianz in Case of Failed Insurer

Florida regulators are alleging that insurer Allianz and its companies contributed to the collapse of a Florida domestic property insurer by taking out more than $20 million in assets and rendering it unable to meet its financial obligations. The Florida …

Florida Hurricane Cat Fund Reform in Jeopardy

Plans to reform Florida’s state-backed reinsurance facility with proponents scaling back their proposals. The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund has been the subject of legislative reform efforts for several years as its financial advisors have consistently warned the fund could not …

Florida Cat Fund Looks to Issue $2 Billion in Pre-Event Bonds

Florida’s state-run property reinsurance facility is preparing to issue $2 billion in revenue bonds to ensure it has enough money on hand to quickly pay insurers’ claims in the event of a major hurricane. The Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund has …