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.

Florida Insurers Facing a New 1% Assessment on Premiums for Insolvent Insurer Claims

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 for new and renewing policies, approved this month by …

Update: Florida Roofing Company Owners Plead Guilty to More Than $1M in Tax Evasion

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 to more than $1 million in …

Oakbridge Expands into Florida with Hunnicutt Insurance Agency

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 has been in business since 1969, specializing in …

Florida Insurance Agent Sentenced to 14 Years for Premium Fraud

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 agency in …

Florida Commercial Insurer Capacity Insurance Now in Runoff, OIR Order Says

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 of Insurance Regulation said in …

Miami Homeowner Charged with Defrauding Citizens by Claiming Old Damage

Florida authorities have charged a Miami man – who has a long record of criminal and civil cases under his name – with insurance fraud after investigators found that some $300,000 in claims were linked to pre-exiting damage to his …

Kin Spins Into Tornado-Prone Mississippi, Relying on Data for Risk Pricing

Kin Insurance and its reciprocal exchange program have expanded into Mississippi, just as tornado damage may be worsening in the state. Mississippi saw 184 tornadoes in 2022, ranking it first in the nation for tornado activity and up sharply from …

Alera Group Acquires Miami’s Wilson Washburn & Forster

Alera Group, a nationwide wealth services and insurance firm, has acquired Wilson, Washburn & Forster, 62-year-old insurance agency in Miami. Wilson Washburn, founded in 1961, offers commercial and personal lines products, including coverage for aviation, food and hospitality, manufacturers, marine …

Historic Building in Jacksonville to Become Affordable Housing Units

Construction is underway to build a new multifamily apartment community providing workforce housing in downtown Jacksonville. The Lofts at Cathedral at 325 and 327 E. Duval St., will include a total of 120 apartments. The project calls for the renovation …

Wildfire Threat Grows as Florida Drought Worsens

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 federal officials said Thursday. …