Florida Regulators Set Date for Citizens Public Rate Hearing
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) announced it will conduct a rate hearing on Aug. 31, 2017 to receive public comment on Citizens’ proposed rate changes for its business in the Coastal...
View ArticleFlorida on Alert for AOB Abuse as Irma Recovery Begins
As Florida residents return home after being evacuated by Hurricane Irma, the pressure is on the insurance industry to keep a bad situation regarding assignment of benefits abuse in the state from...
View ArticleFlorida’s Citizens Expects Policy Count Increase in 2018, Plans Claims System...
Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the Florida state-run insurer of last resort, is anticipating its policyholder count will increase in 2018 for the first time since its efforts to shed policies...
View ArticleAssignment of Benefits Abuse Tops Florida News for 2017
Florida’s ongoing battle with assignment of benefits (AOB) claims abuse was not a new topic in 2017, but it was certainly one of the hottest ones for Southeast readers. From threats of insurer ratings...
View ArticleReport Shows Florida AOB Abuse Worsening as Lawmakers Consider Reforms
The 2018 Florida Legislative Session is underway, and lawmakers have wasted no time taking up legislation to address the assignment of benefits crisis plaguing the state. While they debate which reform...
View ArticleFlorida Agents March on State Capitol in Lawmaker Push to Reform AOB
Insurance agents from across Florida marched together on the state’s capitol Wednesday to deliver a message to Florida lawmakers: It’s time for assignment of benefits (AOB) reform. Carrying signs that...
View ArticleAttorney, Vendor AOB Lawsuits Top Insurance Litigation in 2017: FJRI Report
Litigation from the abuse of assignment of benefits by third parties represented more than half of all Florida insurance litigation in 2017, and without a legislative fix those fueling the abuse will...
View ArticleDemotech Holds-Off on Affirming ‘A’ Ratings for 16 Florida Insurers
A company that rates many Florida property/casualty insurers believes hurricane losses and assignment of benefits litigation during 2017 could affect some insurers’ financial ratings. Ratings company...
View ArticleDemotech Affirms ‘A’ Ratings of Florida Insurers
Demotech will not downgrade any of the 16 Florida homeowners insurers that it said earlier this year could face financial stability ratings (FSRs) adjustments because of hurricane losses and assignment...
View ArticleFlorida AOB Reform Efforts Fail Again as Parkland Tragedy Derails Legislative...
With over 900 items on the Florida legislative docket and only 60 days to consider them, it’s not surprising that many bills simply die in committee or are never seriously considered. Add to that a...
View ArticleI.I.I. Study Cites AOB Abuse for Increasing Insurance Costs In Florida
A new study released by the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) finds that Florida’s assignment of benefits (AOB) crisis has cost consumers billions of dollars in unnecessary litigation and...
View ArticleCitizens to Request 8.2% Rate Increase from Florida Regulators
Citizens Property Insurance Corp. will file for a statewide average increase of 8.2 percent for personal lines policyholders – homeowners, condominium owners and renters. The Florida insurer of last...
View ArticleFlorida’s Citizens Revises 2019 Rate Filing; Will Request 2.3% Statewide Rate...
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation’s Board of Governors has approved a revised 2019 rate proposal that the company said reflects recent legislative changes that targets the ongoing abuse of...
View ArticleChallenges Facing the Florida Insurance Market: A Reinsurer’s Perspective
Hurricanes Irma and Michael served as a reminder that Florida, more than any other state, is at risk of one of the most intense natural perils, namely hurricanes. The existence of a stable insurance...
View ArticleFlorida Supreme Court Suspends Attorney Behind Thousands of Insurer Lawsuits
The Florida Supreme Court has granted an emergency request by The Florida Bar to immediately suspend an attorney who, with his firm, has filed thousands of assignment of benefit and first party...
View ArticleFlorida’s Citizens Accuses Embattled Law Firm, Others of Sham Lawsuits,...
Florida’s state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. has joined a chorus of insurance companies accusing the Strems Law Firm of lawsuit abuse. Citizens says it has lost millions of dollars due to an...
View ArticleSuspension of Florida Lawyer Accused of Causing ‘Great Public Harm’...
A Florida judge has recommended the Florida Supreme Court deny the motion to dissolve the suspension of a Florida attorney who, with his firm, has filed thousands of assignment of benefit and first...
View ArticleFlorida High Court Rejects Strems Bid to Dissolve Suspension; Contempt...
A Florida attorney accused of causing great public harm through a “vast campaign of unprofessional, unethical, and fraudulent conduct,” by way of thousands of insurer lawsuits has lost his latest...
View ArticleFlorida Attorney Behind Thousands of Insurer Lawsuits Violated 14 Bar Rules:...
Embattled Florida attorney Scot Strems, who, with his firm, has filed thousands of assignment of benefit and first party lawsuits against Florida property insurers over the last several years, has been...
View ArticleJudge Finds Strems Guilty of Misconduct; Advises 2-Year Suspension, Probation
After finding Florida attorney Scot Strems in violation of numerous rules regulated by The Florida Bar last month, the court-appointed referee overseeing his case has recommended a 24-month suspension...
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