Articles by William Rabb

Rabb is Southeast Editor for Insurance Journal. He is a long-time newspaper man in the Deep South; also covered workers' comp insurance issues for a trade publication for a few years.

Universal Ready to Add Florida Policies Again, Contemplates Potential Rate Cuts

Universal Insurance Holdings, after discontinuing more than 160,000 policies over the last two years, now sounds like it’s ready to start growing again in its home state of Florida. “As we move forward, we’re more confident in the Florida market, …

Appeals Court Upholds $12M Verdict in Fatal Keys Crash; Insurer Facing Bad-Faith Claim

A federal appeals court this week upheld a $12 million jury award against a gravel and waste-hauling company in a horrific highway accident that killed four Spanish women who were on vacation in the Florida Keys in 2018. But it’s …

Six Years After They Began, Strems’ Massive Litigation Actions Detailed in Book

The story of disbarred Florida plaintiffs’ attorney Scot Strems has been told, in bits and pieces, in this publication and others over the last six years. But the saga and Strems’ alleged actions and the havoc they caused in the …

Kentucky Clarifies Matching Law While Florida Insurers Get Limits on Replacement

Matching requirements for roofs and interior furnishings have been a tough issue in the property insurance industry for years. Recent developments show how insurers and regulators in different Southeast states are managing the mandates. In Kentucky last week, the state …

Florida Special Session Called to Punish Iran…and Help Floridians with Wind Mitigation

Florida lawmakers have agreed to convene in another special session – the sixth in three years – this time to sanction the country of Iran but with a little indirect Florida property insurance relief also on the agenda. The call …

GEICO Lays Off 6% of Workforce and Will Require More In-Office Time

In a letter to employees, GEICO president and chief executive officer Todd Combs said the Berkshire Hathaway company is laying off 2,000 associates, or about 6% of the workforce. “This will allow us to become more dynamic, agile, and streamline …

Ameris Bank Agrees to Invest $9M in Jacksonville, Settling DOJ Redlining Charges

Ameris Bank, an Atlanta-based corporation with operations in seven Southeastern states, has agreed to invest $9 million in minority neighborhoods in Jacksonville, part of a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice over alleged redlining practices. “As today’s case makes …

Recalled Dehumidifiers Rich Ground for Subrogation Actions, the Latest in NC

American consumers may remember the news about certain Chinese-made dehumidifiers, more than 1.5 million of which were recalled due to their tendency to overheat and catch fire. The manufacturer, Gree USA, in 2021 agreed to pay $91 million in penalties, …

Growing the Business Is a Team Effort at Ellis Insurance Agency

When Insurance Journal called Danielle Ellis, principal at Ellis Insurance Agency in Charleston, West Virginia, with the news that the agency had been named one of the Best Agencies to Work For in the Southeast, an office manager said she …

When Florida Insurers Go Bust, it Means Changes in North Carolina Insurance Law

Insurance department omnibus bills in state legislatures are often seen as housekeeping or budget items that may revise regulatory language, fund insurance department positions or clean up the wording of previous laws. But in North Carolina this year, supporters of …