A new report claims that Florida's property insurance market is full of “low quality insurers,” especially those Florida-based companies that write the bulk of the 7.5 million homeowners and condo insurance policies. It casts aspersions on Dem

Episode 48 – 2024 Legislative Roundup

Mar 12th, 2024 37m 54s

How will the insurance bills that passed in the recently completed 2024 Florida legislative session compliment past marketplace reforms? Is a property insurance market marred by carrier insolvencies in recent years and ongoing double-digit ra

Episode 47 – Stress & Strain of Adjusting

Feb 28th, 2024 21m 50s

Ray Shelton, Ph.D. is a nationally-known expert on stress and the impacts it has on frontline personnel in disasters and other crises. He is a Fellow and the Director of Professional Development for The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic

Episode 46 – Insurers: Know the Building AND The Board

Nov 14th, 2023 27m 36s

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are getting closer to providing insurance companies with a new underwriting tool to combat fraud: the ability to review meeting minutes and other public documents from homeowners and

Episode 45 – Insurance Claim Estimates Change & Are Supposed to!

Jun 2nd, 2023 32m 34s

Media coverage has intensified over an allegation by three independent insurance adjusters that Florida property insurance companies are cheating their policyholders out of rightful claim payouts. The three accuse the industry of altering thei

Episode 44 – Dynamic Duo: Ian Hit Hard

May 15th, 2023 38m 21s

An interim report submitted to the Florida Building Commission says that Southwest Florida coastal communities impacted by last September’s Hurricane Ian were “ill-prepared” for the storm surge and flooding, despite lessons on wind mitigation l

Episode 43 – Future of Florida Insurance Litigation

Feb 16th, 2023 34m 6s

The December 2022 property insurance market reforms passed by the Florida Legislature are making a big difference already, with fewer and less severe non-hurricane claims and fewer daily lawsuits, according to a major Florida insurance company.

Episode 42 – Barry Gilway: Florida’s New Law is a Profound Change

Dec 30th, 2022 43m 24s

Florida property insurance companies, their policyholders, and repair contractors are starting the New Year with a new law designed to reform an out-of-control marketplace. The Florida Legislature in December passed comprehensive measures to s

Episode 41 – Special Session Preview

Dec 9th, 2022 48m 9s

The Florida Legislature is meeting in special session the week of December 12 to address two issues vital to Florida’s economy: disaster relief for Hurricane Ian victims and further insurance consumer protections for homeowners across the state

Episode 40 – Hurricane Ian: Was the Damage Flood or Wind?

Oct 31st, 2022 41m 54s

Most damage from Hurricane Ian appears to be from flooding, rather than wind, and thus won’t be covered under most Florida homeowners insurance policies. Insurance adjusters face a challenging job now determining whether it was wind or water o

Episode 39 – Take Care of the Insurance Customer: Job One

Sep 2nd, 2022 33m 59s

Alternative dispute resolution – including appraisal – is playing an increasingly important role in settling homeowners property insurance claims. Florida’s 2019 Assignment of Benefits (AOB) law requires third party contractors to utilize thes

Episode 39 – Take Care of the Insurance Customer: Job One

Sep 2nd, 2022 50m 52s

Episode 38 – New Property Insurance Reforms

Jun 23rd, 2022 35m 29s

The Florida Legislature in a May special session passed a series of reforms to help stabilize a property insurance market that has seen a growing number of carriers stop writing business or becoming insolvent. Homeowners rates keep growing by

Episode 37 – Special Session on Property Insurance

May 4th, 2022 30m 37s

The Florida Legislature will meet in a special session May 23-27 called by Governor Ron DeSantis to “bring some sanity and stabilize” Florida’s property insurance market. Homeowners are suffering big rate increases and some have lost their cov

Episode 36 – A Conversation with Real Estate Agents about Property Insurance

Feb 11th, 2022 26m 18s

Beside their direct impact on Florida homeowners, multiple double-digit rate increases in property insurance are impacting Florida’s real estate market as well. If rates continue to rise, there’s concern they will affect the availability and a

Episode 35 – Florida Legislative Preview 2022

Dec 22nd, 2021 27m 17s

The Florida Legislature begins its 2022 session on January 11. Among the bills filed are those seeking enhanced insurance consumer protection, greater safety for high-rise condominium buildings following the Surfside collapse, COVID-19 relief,

Episode 34 – Legal Challenges to SB 76

Oct 27th, 2021 35m 14s

Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier told a legislative committee in late September that the state’s property insurance market is in “critical condition” with a growing number of insurance companies losing money and consumers facing co

Episode 33 – Condo Underwriting & Presuit Settlements

Aug 30th, 2021 31m 11s

In the wake of the Champlain Towers South condominium building collapse, insurance companies are looking to tighten their underwriting requirements on Florida condo association policies. Policy renewal premiums are expected to increase up to 2

Episode 32 – Defense Attorneys’ Take on SB 76

Jun 23rd, 2021 1h

Florida’s new property insurance reform law takes effect on July 1. While its intent is good, Florida policyholders are in desperate need for the law to have a significant impact on double-digit rate increases and questionable door-to-door sol

Episode 31 – Property Insurance Reform

May 24th, 2021 29m 41s

The Florida Legislature has passed a property insurance reform bill designed to stem double-digit rate increases, costly claims practices, and excessive litigation. While the bill awaits the Governor’s expected signature into law, there are qu

Episode 30 – Florida’s Property Insurance Dilemma

Mar 26th, 2021 31m 50s

Florida’s residential and commercial property insurance market is in a precarious state of flux, for both insurance companies and consumers. Old hurricane claims, litigation abuse, and fraudulent repair tactics have led to big underwriting los

Episode 29 – 2021’s Insurance Consumer

Dec 21st, 2020 22m 16s

Whether you’re an insurance consumer or professional, 2020 is providing lessons and insight into the changing Florida insurance market for 2021. How can you get the best priced coverage for your needs? And for insurance professionals, how can

Episode 28 – Our Cities Are Flooding

Jul 26th, 2020 24m 12s

As hurricane season heats up, a growing number of properties located outside of FEMA-designated high-risk flood zones are actually flooding. The problem is especially bad in the urban areas of America’s cities. A national survey shows nearly

Episode 27 – Coronavirus Insurance Challenges

May 4th, 2020 25m 56s

The invisible coronavirus' crushing impact is being felt by businesses small and large – and on the insurance companies that insure those businesses. But for those organizations with business interruption policies, do they have a valid insuran

Episode 26 - AOB Reform: Did Consumers Win?

Jan 31st, 2020 28m 37s

In the six months since legislative reform, insurance companies report the number of Assignment of Benefit (AOB) claims in Florida are way down as are related lawsuits. But they’re also seeing new strategies by contractors and their attorneys