Hurricane Ian sends Florida homeowners insurance company into insolvency

Insurance company - Hurricane Ian destruction

United Property & Casualty Insurance Co. experienced larger losses than expected from the storm. United Property & Casualty Insurance Company was hit harder than predicted by Hurricane Ian and regulators have now taken steps to place the insurer into receivership after the storm sent it into insolvency. The process has now been triggered to obtain court approval to send the insurer into receivership. Interim Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky issued a letter to Jimmy Patronis, Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, to launch the process to obtain approval from the courts to place…

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Florida Senate gives the nod to homeowners insurance overhaul

Homeowners insurance - Policy

The changes will involve new lawsuit limits, among others to ease the burden to property owners. This week, the Florida Senate gave its approval to overhauling homeowners insurance in the state, targeting the areas causing property owners – and therefore insurers – the largest amount of pain. The industry in the state will be undergoing a number of critical changes to help lift it out of crisis. Among the changes to the homeowners insurance industry that received approval include a new limit on lawsuits. There are also changes designed to…

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Florida insurance market reaches crisis point with another insurer bankruptcy

Florida insurance - Bankruptcy Sign

As insurers rapidly depart the market, even recent legislation isn’t having a fast enough impact. The Florida insurance market for property coverage has been rapidly stumbling again following storms in recent years. As a result, the insurers that aren’t withdrawing are going bankrupt. FedNat is the latest of the insurers to cancel the homeowners’ policies it’s been selling in the state. Florida insurance has reached a desperate level. This latest withdrawal of FedNat will cancel another 68,200 policies in the state, following a massive trend of coverage cancellation there. Homeowners…

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Gov DeSantis says ‘significant reforms’ coming to Florida home insurance

Florida home insurance - Reforms

Another insurer has dropped 64,000 policies, sending the state into an even worse condition. With only a week and a half left until the Atlantic hurricane season begins, the Florida home insurance crisis has achieved urgent status. Property owners across the state have been scrambling to obtain the coverage they require. Even worse, in a market already bleeding policies and insurers, FedNat Insurance Company and its sister companies have dropped over 68,000 Florida home insurance policies. This insurance news has arrived just as the special legislative session has been scheduled…

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Florida insurance bills take steps nearer to becoming law

Florida insurance - Laws

Two bills meant to overcome the challenges to the industry in the state have moved ahead. Two Florida insurance bills taking aim at the rapidly rising homeowners and property rates have moved a step closer to becoming law in the state, having passed a key Senate subcommittee. Senate Bill 1728 was sponsored by Senator Jim Boyd (R-Bradenton). SB 1728 received overwhelming support in a vote by the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Environment and General Government of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The bill aims to make a string of changes. The largest…

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Nearly 100 insurance rate increases get the nod in Florida

Insurance rate increases - Florida neighborhood

The state Office of Insurance Regulation green lighted the hikes, suggesting a struggling sector. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has given its approval to almost 100 property insurance rate increases across the state. This indicates that the industry conditions in the state have reached a difficult point. The approvals were issued to dozens of homeowners and business insurers that filed for the hikes. According to a report published by News 6 WKMG, dozens of property insurers filed court documents with the intention of obtaining approval for insurance rate increases…

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Homeowners insurance rates could go up in Florida because of lawsuits

Florida Homeowners Insurance

Citizens Property Insurance may be open to “bad faith” lawsuits in the future Rates for homeowners insurance policies through Florida’s Citizens Property Insurance could be on the rise once again. The Florida Supreme Court is weighing a decision on whether or not the state-funded insurance company is liable for “bad faith” lawsuits. The 1st District Court of Appeals believes that the insurer should be open to such lawsuits, but Citizens argues that it should be exempt due to the way the company was formed. Citizens Property Insurance was created by…

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