News & Resources

There are certain attractions here in Florida that hold universal appeal, meaning chances are good that you’ll go out of the way to pay them a visit regardless of whether you’re a resident, a tourist or even a snowbird. While this, of course, includes the major theme parks, spring training complexes and miles of sandy beaches, it also means historic sites, nature preserves and even animal sanctuaries.

Indeed, our state’s perpetually sunny skies and temperate conditions make it a prime location for animal sanctuaries hosting all manner of mammals, reptiles, fish, insects and birds.

An alarm bell was sounded in the insurance sector last month when Demotech, the Ohio-based independent financial analysis firm, indicated that it was strongly considering lowering the financial strength ratings of six to eight Florida homeowners insurance carriers to below an A.

Why this might not seem like too much of a concern to the average person, it was actually rather distressing news to the 250,000 customers of these insurance carriers, as most mortgage lenders — including federal lending agencies Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae — require borrowers to secure homeowners’ insurance from an A-rated insurer as a condition of financing.

As much as times have changed, there’s no disputing that one of the primary objectives for most individuals or couples is to move out of their rental property and into a home that they can call their own.

Of course, this was an admittedly more dubious proposition not long ago because of the recession, but things have changed considerably, such that the housing market is now far more stable. Indeed, more and more Floridians are breaking ground on new homes or finding a place to settle down with the help of a realtor. What happens, however, when their dream home becomes an absolute nightmare owing to the presence of hazardous mold?

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.

Those of us who call Florida home thanks to its sunny skies, miles of sandy coastlines, lush greenery and rich diversity are all too aware that our choice of residence often comes at a cost. Indeed, this reality becomes painfully apparent when it comes to homeowners’ insurance.

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.

Most of the available homeowners insurance policies in Florida provide four main types of coverage. The coverage provided by your insurance company depends on your house’s structure, coverage for your property, liability protection and additional living expenses that may result from your inability to live in your house due to the disaster.

As a health care provider, you’re well aware of the daily struggle to get the payments you’re owed from the insurance company. It’s a miserable cycle: you provide the services for your patients, collect a minimal copayment and then get a notice saying it was denied. Now you’ve got bills to pay and you’re left with potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars in limbo because the insurance company delays payment or refuses to pay.

When most of us hear the term “connected,” our thoughts immediately turn to our phones, laptops, tablets and other devices we rely on far more than we’d perhaps like to admit. However, this term has actually undergone something of an evolution over the last few years, such that it now encompasses more than just these ubiquitous mobile devices.