LMA NEWSLETTER March 25, 2024

Giving

Our readers are the kindest, most generous humans I know.  Every time we publish a newsletter edition, we receive terrific feedback about our opening which is where we try so hard to share a smile, provide a bit of inspiration, and tell a story to make your week.

This past week, one of our longtime …

Florida Property Insurance Market Profitable – Barely

Rate increases continue

Florida’s domestic property insurance companies show a positive net income for the first time in seven years, another carrier is scheduled to go before regulators seeking a rate increase, Citizens Property Insurance answers to Congress again, and last year’s catastrophic weather not only produced more claims but more customer dissatisfaction, too.  It’s …

2024 Legislative Wrap-Up

Progress and warnings

At the close of the Florida legislative session this month, I sat down with two prominent legislators to talk about the new laws expected to impact Florida’s property insurance and real estate markets, reinsurance prices, and condominium affordability.  They also shared their joint belief in bipartisanship for finding workable policy solutions.  We …

Six Months After Hurricane Idalia

Recovery and relief funding ongoing

Six months after Hurricane Idalia struck the Florida Big Bend region as a major Category 3 hurricane, FEMA and the federal government have provided more than $820 million to help with disaster recovery with more projects in the works with the state of Florida.

Previously a strong Category 4 hurricane, …

Surfside Support Columns Not What They Should Have Been

Preliminary report finds weaknesses

Federal investigators may have found the root of the tragic Surfside Condo Collapse that shook the Miami community three years ago: faulty support columns in the garage that ran underneath the complex and the adjoining pool deck.  Upon examining the site and conducting tests, investigators from the National Institute of Standards …

Raising the Roadways to Solve Flooding

Plus, Florida’s comprehensive flood assessment plan

Ft. Lauderdale considers raising roadways as a last-ditch effort to alleviate chronic flooding, a new “Flood Hub” will soon assess flood vulnerability for every piece of vital infrastructure in Florida, and there’s a new federal rule requiring publicly-traded corporations report the costs of flooding, sea level rise, and their …

Florida Economy Off to a Strong Start in 2024

Growing pains in housing

A few reasons Florida’s economy is ahead of the pack, a new report finds a continuing gap in affordable housing for Floridians, the Sunshine State has four of the nation’s five fastest growing metropolitan areas, and we just scored four of the top ten best US markets for starting a business.  …

Our Love for Remote Work

New studies show that the average American worker is showing continued interest in working remotely and rollouts of in-office mandates are finally slowing down in response.  The huge push for remote work started with the COVID-19 lockdowns, but lingered when many workers found that they preferred to work from home.  A study shows most private …