LMA NEWSLETTER August 3, 2020

Another Storm Brushes Florida

As we put this edition to bed late Sunday evening, Tropical Storm Isaias is moving up the central east coast of Florida, with its winds of 70 mph well offshore, and not forecast to be a particularly big rain or storm surge event, either.  As the first east coast storm of the season, we’re lucky …

Coronavirus & the Florida Market

Insurance and state economic impacts

As a federal judicial panel now weighs whether to consolidate the thousands of lawsuits over denied business interruption insurance claims, insurance companies – including a prominent Florida one – are still balancing sound financial practices with responding to exceptional consumer needs during the coronavirus.  Meanwhile, Florida has taken a nearly …

Home Sales Looking Up

Pent-up pandemic demand cited

Florida real estate sales continue to look up, a sure sign that the Sunshine State’s economy is on the rebound.  Despite the pandemic and other challenges, sales volume and prices are back on their usual rise, with lots of unmet demand driving the increases, which should positively impact ancillary services such …

Florida Homeowners Market Update

Standby for more rate increases

Two sister, Florida-based property insurance companies are seeking double-digit homeowners insurance rate increases, continuing the trend we’ve talked about here that is a symptom of our state’s property insurance market woes.

Southern Fidelity Insurance Company seeks a 31.1% increase in its homeowners multi-peril line.  Capitol Preferred Insurance Company seeks a …

Florida Bar v. Scot Strems

Strems files response

Plaintiff insurance attorney Scot Strems’ legal team filed three items with the Florida Supreme Court on July 30, the deadline to show cause why the referee’s recommendation upholding his suspension order should not be approved.  His response disagreed with the referee and included an appendix in support, and a request for oral …

Urban Flooding on the Rise

Florida’s challenge

I had the pleasure of sitting down recently to talk with two flood experts on the growing problem of urban flooding and what mitigation approaches are being tried – and working – here in Florida and in Texas.  It’s an especially timely topic for hurricane season.  We recorded the conversation for our latest …

The Insurance Knowledge Gap

Too many consumers confused

One of the biggest misconceptions homeowners have is that their homeowners insurance covers them for flooding.  We hear their tragic stories regularly after major flood events.  There’s a new survey out that quantifies widespread confusion on the part of consumers on a variety of different insurance knowledge.  And it should be …

No More Commute?

We’ve had an ongoing discussion in these pages about how remote work, brought about by the coronavirus, is changing our lives.  Now there’s a new study that shows most folks in the market for a new home – 63% – say their motivation is due to the belief that their remote work will be permanent …