Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) News

Top Florida Stories of 2016: Florida’s Evolving Flood Market

Before McCarty announced his decision to leave office, he initiated dialogue with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) over the National Flood Insurance Program’s rate making. Citing the fact that the flood insurance rates Floridians pay are the highest in …

Top Florida Stories of 2016: The AOB ‘Insurance Crisis’

Assignment of benefits abuse has become such a well-known problem in the state of Florida this year that it now just goes by the nickname “AOB.” The issue with AOB comes from when a policyholder suffers a loss, such as …

Top Florida Stories of 2016: Workers’ Comp Market in Turmoil

It’s been a tumultuous year for the Florida insurance industry. It would seem the biggest story would be the end of Florida’s hurricane drought as the state got hit by not one, but two hurricanes this year, the first hurricanes …

Florida’s Citizens to Lawmakers: AOB Reform Must be Passed in 2017

Florida lawmakers can expect substantial pressure to tackle the assignment of benefits (AOB) and water loss claims crisis from the state’s insurer of last resort when Florida’s legislative session begins early next year. At a governing board meeting Wednesday, leaders …

Unlicensed Miami Agent Faces 72 Felony Counts for Stealing Escrow Payments

A Miami man has been arrested for alleged unlicensed insurance activity that resulted in the theft of at least $48,507 in escrow payments from 10 South Florida homeowners. The Florida Department of Financial Services’ (DFS) Division of Investigative and Forensic …

U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Review Challenge to Florida Workers’ Comp System

The United States Supreme Court has refused to review a Florida case challenging the state’s entire workers’ compensation system, which could be seen as the state’s only reprieve on workers’ comp this year. The Court’s Oct. 31 decision without comment …

FEMA Extends Filing Deadline for Florida NFIP Claims from Hurricane Hermine

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has extended the deadline for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders to file claims from Hurricane Hermine. “After productive discussions between Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier and representatives of the NFIP on ways to assist …

It’s Official: Florida Workers’ Comp Rates Going Up Nearly 15%

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) has issued a final order granting approval to the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) for an overall combined statewide average rate increase of 14.5 percent. This rate increase applies to both new …

Florida Approves Increases for Citizens Commercial Property Rates

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) has issued an order establishing the 2017 commercial property rates for Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. Rates are going up for all accounts except the Commercial Property Non-Residential Multi-Peril. Some lines will see rate …

Florida Approves 14.5% Workers’ Comp Rate Hike in Response to Court Rulings

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) has given contingent approval for an overall statewide workers’ compensation rate increase of 14.5 percent to take effect Dec. 1, 2016. The rate increase is in response to two recent Supreme Court rulings …