Latest Florida Headlines

All the headlines from our Florida Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Two Killed in Small Plane Crash at South Florida Airport, the Second This Year

May 30 2023 // A flight instructor and a student pilot died Friday when a small plane crashed at a south Florida airport, Palm Beach County authorities said.The crash at the Palm Beach County Park Airport in Lantana happened shortly...

Florida DFS Charges Claims Adjuster with Submitting $24,000 in Fraudulent Auto Claims

May 26 2023 // Florida investigators have charged a former Progressive Insurance claims adjuster with fraud, alleging that she used claimants’ identities to submit fraudulent auto claims, then pocketed almost $24,000 in...

Viewpoint: Actual Cash Value on Roof Claims a Fairer, Simpler Way to Pay

May 25 2023 // In the May 15, 2023 Insurance Journal, independent adjuster Ben Mandell shared an opinion that Florida insurance policies have “one glaring endorsement that is missing” – roof endorsements that could have...

Arthur J. Gallagher Acquires Florida’s Ken Brown Brokerage

May 24 2023 // Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., the global insurance brokerage and consulting firm, said it has acquired Florida-based Insurance by Ken Brown Inc., a retail broker specializing in coverage for construction and swimming pool...

Florida Reinsurance ‘More Orderly’ as Defense Costs Begin to Ease, Analysts Say

May 24 2023 // With the June 1 reinsurance renewals a week away, the outlook for Florida-based property insurers may not be quite as dire as many had predicted earlier this year, at least according to a top official with one of the...

Karen Clark Report Shows Just What Failed in Ian, Making it Florida’s Costliest Storm

May 23 2023 // A granular look at the most expensive hurricane in Florida’s history, written by respected catastrophe-modeling firm Karen Clark & Co., highlights building practices that had a major impact on the scale of...

Disney Cancels 2,000-job Expansion as Feud with Florida Governor Heats Up

May 22 2023 // The Walt Disney Co. announced Thursday that it was scrapping plans to build a new campus in central Florida and relocate 2,000 employees from Southern California to work in digital technology, finance and product...

As Lawyers Warned, Florida Courts Flooded with Suits Before Tort-Reform Bill Signed

May 22 2023 // Just as the plaintiffs’ law firm of Morgan & Morgan warned, the number of Florida lawsuits filed across the state has shattered previous records, topping 280,122 in April, the Florida Bar reported.That’s...

FEMA Releases New Flood Insurance Rates by ZIP Code. Brace for Impact.

May 22 2023 // When the Federal Emergency Management Agency unveiled its new Risk Rating 2.0 methodology for calculating flood insurance, advocates and critics alike warned that it would mean higher premiums for thousands of property...

Business Moves

May 22 2023 // American Financial Group, Crop Risk ServicesAmerican Financial Group Inc. and American International Group entered into a definitive agreement whereby AFG will purchase Crop Risk Services (CRS) from AIG. Under the terms of...

TypTap Insurance President Talks About Insurtech’s First Profit, Future

May 19 2023 // When HCI Group’s TypTap Insurance launched in 2016, it created a buzz in the industry and some skepticism, due to the company’s plan to rely heavily on mapping technology and property data. This month,...

Insurance Journal, Carrier Management & Claims Journal Staffs Win Awards of Excellence

May 17 2023 // Wells Media Group publications, online, research and podcasts have won a total of nine 2023 Azbee Awards of Excellence from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE).“Being recognized by our...

Fla. Appeals Court Upholds Lawyer’s $104,000 Fine for Sabotaging Med Mal Trial

May 17 2023 // An attorney with one of Florida’s largest insurance defense firms must pay more than $100,000 in sanctions after deliberately trying to sabotage a medical malpractice suit in order to win a mistrial, a Florida...

Florida Insurance Agent Convicted in $6M Ponzi Scheme That Defrauded Investors

May 16 2023 // A federal jury has found a Sarasota insurance agent and financial consultant guilty of defrauding elderly Floridians out of $6 million, money that the victims believed was going to fund a life insurance startup known as...

More States Adopting Professional Standards for Public Adjusters

May 16 2023 // A movement to establish professional standards for public adjusters gained ground this year, with lawmakers in five states passing bills that impose new controls over a trade that already requires a license in 46...

More States Adopted Professional Standards for Public Adjusters This Year

May 16 2023 // A movement to establish professional standards for public adjusters gained ground this year, with lawmakers in five states passing bills that impose new controls over a trade that already requires a license in 46...

Florida Governor Signs Bill Limiting Skate Rink Liability

May 16 2023 // Florida’s governor has signed into law a bill that could help reduce premiums for the dwindling number of roller-skating rinks in the state.Senate Bill 1458, sponsored by state Sen. Clay Yarborough, R-Jacksonville,...

Some Florida Insurers Stop Altering Adjuster Reports, But Many Claims Still Not Paid

May 16 2023 // Even before the Florida Legislature adopted the Insurer Accountability Act of 2023, requiring insurers to stop altering independent adjusters’ damage estimates without providing transparency, a number of Florida...

Florida Jury Finds McDonald’s Liable for Hot McNugget that Burned Girl’s Leg

May 15 2023 // McDonald’s and a franchise holder are at fault after a hot Chicken McNugget from a Happy Meal fell on a little girl’s leg and caused second-degree burns, a jury in South Florida found in a case reminiscent of...

Want to Limit Roof Claims in Florida? Why Not a Roof Endorsement?

May 15 2023 // Editor’s note: The Florida Legislature’s 2023 regular session concluded May 5, but people in the property insurance industry continue to offer ideas for the state’s distressed market. Here’s one...