Florida News

Florida’s Home Insurance Industry May Be Worse Than Anyone Realizes

Seven property insurers in Florida went bankrupt in 2021 and 2022. The bankruptcies left thousands of homeowners scrambling to get new coverage, which often came with a big increase in cost. Worse, many had outstanding claims for hurricane damage that …

FEMA: SW Florida Stripped of Flood Insurance Discounts After ‘Improper Rebuilds’

After spiking premiums, nonrenewals and complaints about unpaid claims, more than 115,000 property owners in southwest Florida are now facing a new slap in the face after 2022’s Hurricane Ian: 25% higher flood insurance rates because local officials reportedly allowed …

Corner Turned? Top Florida Insurers See First Profit in Seven Years, S&P Global Says

Florida’s beleaguered property insurance market is starting to look normal again, with the top insurers in the state showing a collective profit for the first time in seven years, S&P Global Market Intelligence reported this week. The turnaround for 2023 …

‘Citizens 2.0’ is 86’d but Other Florida Insurance, Liability Bills Still Alive

A move to revamp the state-backed property insurer of last resort into Florida’s main wind carrier, a plan dubbed “Citizens 2.0,” appears to have died in the Legislature this year. But other insurance-related bills are still alive, and the governor’s …

Sotheby’s, Russians, Theft: Insurer Must Defend in High-End Miami Realty Suit

In the glittering world of high-end south Florida real estate, One Sotheby’s International Realty is known as one of the biggest players in the market. This month, the firm is handling the rental of NBA superstar Kevin Durant’s penthouse in …

Early Morning Storms Leave Path of Damage from Tampa Bay into North Florida

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — A storm system that moved across parts of Florida early Thursday left a path of damage to cars, houses and businesses, authorities said. “We were very fortunate,” Jevon Graham, the Clearwater Fire and Rescue division chief …

Fla. Agriculture Losses Estimated Between $78M and $371M from Hurricane Idalia

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Florida agriculture losses from Hurricane Idalia are estimated at between $78 million and $371 million, with producers also suffering widespread damage to such infrastructure as irrigation rigs and fences, according to a preliminary report Thursday …

Wildfire Threat Grows as Florida Drought Gets Steadily Worse

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The threat of wildfires is growing in Florida over the coming weeks as more than half the state is experiencing severe to extreme drought conditions likely to persist until rainy season resumes around mid-May, state …

NOAA: Ian Was Cat 5 Before Weakening at Florida Landfall

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Hurricane Ian briefly reached maximum Category 5 status before weakening to a Category 4 storm as it blasted ashore last September in southwest Florida, eventually causing over $112 billion in damage in the U.S. and …

USDA: Florida Orange Crop Down 36% After Twin Hurricanes

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Production of oranges in Florida this season is forecast to be down 36% from earlier estimates, in part a reflection of twin hurricanes that battered growing regions, according to U.S. Agriculture Department figures released Friday. …