A banner plane toting a timely reminder over the Florida Capitol, January 26, 2022
Last week, several dozen insurance agents and insurance company leaders came to Tallahassee to let their voices be heard about the state of the Florida insurance market. These front line soldiers work hard every day to keep their promises to their policyholders and were somewhat weary at the prospect that the legislature may not enact provisions that would stem the unfathomable rate increases Floridians are experiencing. As one attendee said while we watched the high flying banner pictured, “The solution isn’t complicated…it involves educating our lawmakers that there’s no such thing as a free roof, or free kitchen or free remodeled bathroom.”
Part of the discussion among those who traveled far and wide to come to the state Capitol was that unless the legislature provides additional changes to the insurance law, the predictions of the many leaders we have shared in the past will come to pass. One of those leaders is Senator Jeff Brandes who said succinctly this past week, “This is an all-hands-on-deck situation.”
And many of us will recall the gut wrenching presentation by Mary Katharine Lawler, president of Doug Croley Insurance Services in Tallahassee. She testified a few months ago in a House committee that “We are taking sides for Floridians. I want a healthy stable insurance market because a stable insurance market is critical for a healthy economy. Our clients are our neighbors and our community members, and your constituents, and we are the ones who are dealing with them every day. You cannot buy a home, you cannot buy a car, you cannot run a business if you don’t have insurance. It is a critical component of our economy … this is affecting all Floridians.”
I keep Mary Katharine’s wise words close to me and every now and then I pull them up to listen to her admonition. We will continue to beat the drum with Mary Katharine’s message….and will keep you up to date on our progress. Thanks for following our work and up next is the latest news on the Florida Legislature in our weekly Bill Watch.
LMA Newsletter of 1-31-22
