LMA NEWSLETTER March 3, 2025

The truth about Florida’s insurance market − an agent’s perspective

by Allen McGinniss

(Editor’s note: This is published with permission from the author, who previously published it on Florida Politics.)

I will continue fighting for truth, transparency, and real solutions while pointing out incomplete or naive information when I see it.

As an insurance agent serving Florida homeowners for decades, I have seen firsthand how …

Bill Watch

Start of session

The slow and interrupted pace of the past two months of Florida legislative committee meetings yielded an avalanche of bills in the last two weeks prior to this past Friday’s filing deadline, including several shocking bills that could hurt insurance consumers by turning back hard-won reforms from prior sessions.  When lawmakers return …

Regulators Concerned About Hurricane Claims Handling

Focus on FEMA, NFIP, plus latest storm payouts

Florida insurance regulators want more information on federal flood insurance claims problems following hurricanes Debby, Helene, and Milton; FEMA borrows $2 billion from the U.S. Treasury to pay Helene and Milton flood claims; and Florida carriers have paid $6.4 billion to date in claims from the storms.  …

Permitting Struggles in Helene Recovery

Balancing act in following rules vs. speedy return home

Hurricane Helene may have made landfall over 5 months ago, but aftershocks are still being felt by cities, towns, and residents along Florida’s West Coast storm path.  While insurance regulators have called for increased scrutiny in handling flood and wind claims, permitting and code violations have …

Plea for Condominium Relief Reflected in Bills

No bailouts as some condo owners hoped

Here at LMA we’ve been closely covering Florida’s ongoing condominium problem and have new developments to report.  At issue are state laws passed two years ago that address condo safety by requiring milestone building inspections and structural integrity reserve studies.  Some condo associations have struggled to comply, citing …

Tiny Homes – Big Payoff

On Florida’s East Coast, Martin County has found a unique way to support displaced members of the community after intense damage from Hurricane Milton’s tornadoes.  The non-profits “Project Lift” and “Save our Salerno” have enlisted the help of local teenagers to build tiny homes.  The projects offer great benefits to …