Latest Florida Headlines

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

Florida Restaurants Go Hungry in Federal, State COVID Suits vs. Lloyd’s

May 12 2022 // Florida restaurants have had little success in recent lawsuits against Lloyd’s of London over insurance coverage for shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic.On Wednesday, Florida’s 3rd District Court of Appeal,...

Risk Strategies Acquires Insurance Center of Central Florida

May 11 2022 // Boston-based specialty insurance broker Risk Strategies has acquired The Insurance Center of Central Florida (ICCF), a property/casualty insurance and risk management agency based in Melbourne, Florida. Terms of the deal...

Florida, Louisiana Ranked Highest for Auto Insurance Costs

May 11 2022 // It’s not just homeowners insurance costs that are high in Florida. A new report shows that Floridians continue to pay some of the largest auto coverage premiums in the country.The BankRate 2022 report shows that the...

Florida Lawmakers to Hold Town Hall Meeting Ahead of Insurance Special Session

May 11 2022 // Three Florida legislators will hold a town hall-type meeting Thursday to gain input from residents ahead of the special session called to examine the state’s property insurance issues.The gathering in Melbourne City...

‘Broken Arm Poster’ Can be Sent Via Email, Florida DWC Again Proposes

May 10 2022 // Workers’ compensation insurers in Florida will no longer have to ship posters to their insured employers if a rule change is finalized this summer.The familiar “broken arm poster” has been a fixture in...

OSHA Fines Florida Utility $500,000 for Power Plant Deaths of Five Workers

May 9 2022 // A Florida power company has agreed to pay a $500,000 fine for a 2017 explosion that left five workers dead.Tampa Electric Co. has pleaded guilty to violating an Occupational Safety and Health Administration standard,...

Another Florida Insurer Adds Binding Arbitration Endorsement Amid Losses

May 9 2022 // Heritage Property & Casualty Insurance Co. reported more losses for the first quarter of 2022 and a spike in its combined ratio. But company officials said Friday they are taking aggressive steps, including rate...

Walgreens Settles Florida Opioid Lawsuit for $683 Million

May 6 2022 // The Walgreens pharmacy company has reached a $683 million settlement with the state of Florida, halting a trial over state claims that the company improperly dispensed millions of painkillers that contributed to the opioid...

With Inadequate Natural Catastrophe Prices, Swiss Re Gives Florida a Wide Berth

May 6 2022 // Premium rates for natural catastrophe risks in Florida continue to be inadequate, which is why Swiss Re is giving that market a wide berth — for the time being, at least.“Historically we believe the Florida...

Florida Governor Said to Be Eyeing Texas-Style Litigation Law for Special Session

May 6 2022 // With Florida lawmakers set to convene in less than three weeks to face the swirling winds of the state’s property insurance crisis, Gov. Ron DeSantis has yet to unveil a draft of the reform legislation he would like...

Seaglass Opens Workers Comp MGA in Florida

May 5 2022 // Seaglass Insurance Group, with offices in Estero, Florida, is a new managing general agent offering workers’ comp insurance through a national carrier, along with risk management and safety programs. Austin Seaglass...

New Agency Forms in Florida

May 5 2022 // Sentry Insurance Partners is a new, full-service agency based in Miami, with an office in Coral Gables, its principals said in a news release. The firm was founded by Andy Fajardo, a certified marine insurance...

Another Strems Law Firm Attorney Suspended by Florida Supreme Court

May 4 2022 // Fallout from the infamous Strems Law Firm’s litigation practices in Florida continues.Two years after Coral Gables plaintiffs’ attorney Scot Strems was suspended from practice for filing thousands of...

Rating Firms Urge Florida Lawmakers to Take Swift Action on Litigation, Cat Fund

May 3 2022 // Two insurance company rating firms have joined the call for Florida lawmakers to approve decisive measures to stave off financial disaster for more property insurers.Legislation passed in 2019 and 2021, designed to deter...

Medical Marijuana Industry Booming in Florida in Last Two Years

May 3 2022 // As in other states that have legalized medical marijuana, Florida has seen a huge increase in doctors, users and dispensary businesses in the last few years, thanks in part to the COVID-19 pandemic.“Cannabis is one...

Florida Man Charged with Fraud After Claiming He Was in Uber Crash

May 2 2022 // A South Florida man has been charged in connection with what appears to be a new twist on auto insurance fraud.State and local authorities said that Victor Van Vickery, 33, of Delray Beach, claimed to be in a Uber ride...

People: Florida OIR’s Phillips Moves to Branch, Epic Hires Kennedy

May 2 2022 // Kennedy Joins EPIC’s VanbridgeEPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a property and casualty insurance brokerage, announced that James Kennedy has joined the firm as a principal with Vanbridge, its financial...

Coming Soon: A Florida Special Session on Insurance. But Will it Come Soon Enough?

May 2 2022 // Florida’s governor has said he plans to call a special legislative session for some time in May, aimed at the property insurance crisis in the state. But some in the industry, while welcoming the gathering, said it...

Florida’s Largest, Universal P&C, Sheds Policies, Shows Improved Bottom Line

Apr 29 2022 // Amid growing concerns about the health of Florida’s property insurers, the state’s largest carrier posted a somewhat mixed bag of financial results for the first quarter of 2022. But the company said it has...

‘Going and Coming’ Rule Gets a Little More Focused, Florida Court Decides

Apr 29 2022 // A Florida appeals court has put a fine point on the still-evolving “going and coming rule” in workers’ compensation law.The 1st District Court of Appeal found that a man injured on his way to a jobsite...