News & Resources

It may seem hard to believe, but tomorrow marks the start of the 2017 legislative session, meaning lawmakers in both chambers — the Florida Senate and the Florida House of Representatives — will be convening in Tallahassee for what promises to be an entertaining two months.

While they will be addressing such traditional issues as education, health care and, of course, the budget, they will also be tackling some other topics that don’t often receive the attention they perhaps deserve or that are entirely novel, including medical marijuana, gambling and, of course, insurance.

Right now, there is currently a vigorous debate taking place in Tallahassee as to whether the longstanding requirement that all motorists carry personal injury protection — or PIP — should be repealed. Indeed, much of this push for PIP to go stems from the fact that Sunshine State drivers pay some of the highest insurance premiums in the nation.

Many Florida homeowners have mortgages that are backed by either the Federal National Mortgage Association or Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. In most of these cases, the homeowners have property insurance that has been issued by a Florida-based company. On Feb. 14, an Ohio company that rates insurance companies around the country based on their financial stability indicated that it will likely be downgrading the ratings of at least 10 of those Florida insurers. This move could create significant problems for affected homeowners.

Last week, our blog discussed how those entrepreneurs looking to make their dreams of owning and operating a small business a reality will need to ensure that they devote adequate attention to completing mundane yet crucial tasks, including ensuring that they are in compliance with Florida’s insurance law.

When an entrepreneur finally decides to move ahead with their plans for starting a small business, it will initiate a process that is equal parts excitement and exhaustion. That’s because in addition to doing everything in power to seeing their vision for a thriving enterprise become a reality, the budding small business owner will also have to handle a host of far more mundane yet crucial tasks.

Over the course of the last year, our blog has been closely following the growing debate over the utility and even the future of personal injury protection — otherwise known as PIP — here in Florida.

While most people view their state’s department of insurance as the government agency tasked with everything from licensing and regulating insurers to addressing complaints and controlling rates, it’s important to understand that they also exist to educate consumers about this sometimes arcane topic, enabling them to make informed decisions about their policy coverage.

If the unimaginable happens — your car is totaled in an accident, your apartment catches fire, your home is damaged in a tropical storm — you will understandably experience a host of emotions, including shock, anxiety, acceptance and ultimately peace of mind.

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation recently announced that it will be holding a public hearing in just a few weeks to discuss requests by two of the state’s largest long-term care insurers to raise the rates paid by customers to a considerable degree.

Anyone who finds themselves in the market for a new car after the passage of a decade or more is likely going to find a considerable difference between their trusted older model and the models on the lot.